Nahuel's Choice
by emmettroselover
Summary: Sequel to Consequences Part II. Nahuel believed nothing in his past could come back to haunt him once Joham was dead. Unfortunately for him, his dead father was not the only family members he needed to worry about. Renesmee/Nahuel, Edward/Bella, Rosalie/Emmett, Alice/Jasper, Carlisle/Esme, Leah/Jacob, Seth/Kaya, and more!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the Mother of Twilight and always will be. I own nothing, but my original characters.

AN: Well it is that time again! I do not know where I keep getting the inspiration…..after all, this all started because I wanted to write one fic about Renesmee post-Breaking Dawn….but it is time for yet another story to add to the Choice Series! I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Chapter 1

Autumn was one of Esme's favorite seasons. The equinox created picturesque scenery and the changing of the leaves was only one aspect of the beauty that unfolded before her eyes. It was the beginning of October and the months since they learned about Caleb and the new generation of wolves in La Push had been peaceful, just the way she loved it to be, but the silence in the house was still an eerie sound to her. Since Jasper suggested that he and Alice take a relaxing vacation in Italy and the others decided to follow suit by making arrangements of their own, the house was empty. Edward and Bella were the only ones to stay behind on the island with their parents, but they were tucked away in their cottage, enjoying the serenity of it all. The only ones in the main house were Esme and her mate, something she was excited about, but her maternal instinct was still on high alert. She entered Zach's room and noticed his hamper was full of dirty clothes. She giggled when she saw the leaves and twigs in the hamper from all the wrestling her grandson did, but before she could grab the hamper, her mate's voice echoed throughout the room.

"Esme, step away from the dirty clothes. They do not need to be washed right now," he explained as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned in his arms to face him and groaned.

"But…."

"No but, you are on vacation. We have the house to ourselves and Zach can do his own laundry. My love, we need to relax, just like everyone else does." She rested her head on his shoulder as she nodded and he rubbed her back soothingly.

"I know. I just miss them already."

"It has been three hours," he chuckled, but she scoffed.

"Alice and Jasper left four days ago. I am allowed to miss my children."

"Yes you are and I am allowed to miss my mate. It has been far too long since we have had the house to ourselves like this and there is nothing to worry about. Alice and Jasper are on vacation in Rome, Rosalie and Emmett are going on a hunting trip in Alaska, our grandchildren are heading to Forks and La Push, and Edward and Bella have locked themselves in their cottage. Everyone is on vacation and so are we, from this point forth. That means no laundry, no cooking, no cleaning, just you and me in this nice, big house all alone," he said with a grin and she giggled as she ran a hand through his soft, blond hair.

"I suppose I could use some time alone with my husband."

"How does a bubble bath sound," he asked with a grin as he pulled her toward their bedroom.

"Wonderful."

"Good, then I will draw us a bath," he announced before racing toward their bathroom and she looked over her grandson's room one last time with a smile. Everyone was on vacation and she decided to take the opportunity to indulge in her time alone with her mate.

Rosalie stalked back and forth in front of Zach, Seth, and Kaya as the three of them sat on the porch in front Jacob and Leah's house. Emmett snickered as his wife went over the checklist in her mind. When Seth suggested that Zach tag along with them to La Push, Rosalie was apprehensive. When Leah called and explained that it would be fine for him to stay with them, she was nervous, and as she dropped her son off to spend time with Josh, she was having second thoughts. While she knew Josh would not be an issue, leaving Zach alone with Seth was another issue entirely. The two of them easily got into trouble and since Zach did not sleep, she would not have the peace of mind of knowing that he would be supervised at all times.

"Let's see, no avalanches, no hunting alone….you had plenty of hunting before the trip here, correct," she asked and Zach whined.

"Aw mom, come on. I will be fine. If I need anything, I have plenty of people to ask, including Renesmee and Nahuel." Seth stood up with a comforting smile and placed an arm around Rosalie.

"Besides, I will be here to keep an eye out for Z, so no worries." Rosalie arched an eyebrow at him and glanced at Kaya, who nodded.

"I will keep an eye on both of them," assured Kaya and Seth huffed.

"Hey, I am a grown man. I can be responsible. Z will be fine," argued Seth. Rosalie glanced at Emmett and he winked at her before kissing her cheek.

"Don't worry Rose. Zach and Seth know that if they get into any trouble while we are gone, they will have a lot of people to answer to, including me, right," asked Emmett in a stern tone and Zach nodded as he stood up. He pulled his mother into his strong arms for a tight hug and she melted into his embrace when he kissed her cheek. She kissed his forehead and smiled lovingly at him.

"Be good and you better not give Leah and Jacob a hard time….okay maybe Jacob, but definitely not Leah," she instructed and Leah giggled as she walked onto the porch with a smiling Joshua.

"Z, come on! I got a new video game," announced Josh and Zach looked at his mother pleadingly. She kissed him one last time before nodding.

"Go have fun," she urged and he hugged his parents before running over to Josh. Josh waved at Rosalie and Emmett.

"Have fun in Alaska. Bring me back something," called Josh as he ran inside with Zach right behind him.

"I make no promises, but I might be able to grab you a bear," called Emmett and Rosalie nudged him. Josh poked his head out of the front door.

"Stuffed or alive," he questioned and Emmett grinned from ear to ear.

"Alive of course." Josh's eyes lit up with glee.

"Cool! Mom, can I have a…"

"Absolutely not, Emmett don't you dare bring my son a bear from Alaska," warned Leah and Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Chill Leah, I wasn't going to bring him a big one….just a furry little cub to….."

"Not happening," said Leah and Jacob chuckled as he joined them on the porch while his son pouted.

"Aw mom, you never let me have any pets," he whined and stomped back into the house. Jacob smirked.

"Already causing trouble Em," teased Jacob and Emmett shrugged.

"It's what I do best. Thanks for letting Zach stay here. Call us if he gives you any trouble." Rosalie groaned and shook her head.

"Maybe we should just take him with us," suggested Rosalie. Leah gave her a reassuring smile as she linked their arms together.

"You have my word as a mother and your best friend that I will make sure he is safe. Josh has been looking forward to this for a while."

"So has Zach. Okay fine, he can stay but the minute something goes wrong…."

"I will call you and keep you updated," agreed Leah and Rosalie slowly nodded.

"Alright Em, I think I am ready to go. Let's leave before I change my mind again." Emmett chuckled and pulled his wife toward the forest.

"We're out of here. Kaya, Seth, don't do anything I wouldn't do….which gives you a lot of options, bye," called Emmett before running toward the forest with his wife. Seth winked at Jacob and nodded toward the house.

"Let's go play that new game too. I bet I can beat all three of you in it," suggested Seth. Leah shook her head as she looked at Kaya.

"A house full of boys, you ready for this," teased Leah and Kaya giggled.

"Actually I am going to hunt with my brother. I promised him we would spend some time together."

"So you are leaving me here alone with all this testosterone?"

"Like you aren't used to dealing with it, I will be back tonight," informed Kaya. She got into her red BMW and Leah sighed when she heard the laughing and heckling inside the house.

"A house full of boys, this should be interesting," she mumbled to herself and went inside to keep an eye on all four of them.

Sue giggled at her husband's excitement as he pulled his keys from his jean pockets and walked down the stairs of the porch of their house with Renesmee right beside him. Her smile matched her grandfather's and Nahuel waved to them as he watched them from the porch with Sue.

"We are going to get her a new fishing pole, got to have the very best for my granddaughter," explained Charlie and Renesmee giggled.

"Are you sure you don't want to go with us tomorrow Nahuel," asked Renesmee and Nahuel winked at her.

"Don't worry about me. You and Charlie should spend some time alone together. I am going to spend time with Kaya." Charlie smiled at his wife.

"It would be nice to have two of my girls out there with me," suggested Charlie, but Sue shook her head.

"Seth is supposed to come over tomorrow and I want to cook him one of his favorite meals. I should head to the grocery store today and get ready for it. Do you want anything special for dinner tonight?"

"You know I love your cooking, so whatever you make is fine with me. I will grab another fishing pole just in case. Yours is looking a bit worn down. We will be back later," said Charlie. He departed with his granddaughter and Sam pulled in front of the house as they drove away. Sue looked at him curiously and he stuffed his hands into his pockets as he approached the house. He smiled at Nahuel in greeting.

"I didn't know you two were in town," said Sam.

"Renesmee wanted to spend some time with Charlie. I am about to go hunt with Kaya. Sue, do you need anything," asked Nahuel and she smiled sweetly at him.

"No thank you, save room for dinner though." Nahuel chuckled and winked at her.

"Will do." Kaya arrived and parked her car in the driveway. Nahuel motioned for her to follow him into the forest and as soon as they disappeared into the depths of trees and brush, Sue turned her attention to Sam.

"What brings you here? Is everything okay?" He chuckled nervously and shrugged.

"The first official council meeting was today."

"I see, would you like to come inside for something to drink?" He nodded appreciatively and she led him into the house. He sat down at the kitchen table as she looked into the refrigerator.

"We have water, tea, lemonade….."

"Anything stronger than that?" She giggled and handed him a beer as he sighed. She poured a glass of tea for herself.

"Bad meeting," she questioned.

"Have you heard about the pack growing?"

"No, to be honest I haven't kept up much with the tribe as of late. I thought since you were mentoring Caleb, things would be better," she explained as she joined him at the table.

"They are better in a way, but Caleb still has issues with me and the tribe in general. Three boys have joined the pack. Braden is the newest one to phase."

"Brady's son, how is Brady taking it?"

"He expected it, but hopes Braden will not see as much action as he has over the years. Jared is much happier than he is about the whole situation. He always wanted Drew and Daniel to become wolves. Now Drew is the beta."

"Daniel is sixteen, right?"

"Yea and Drew is only seventeen. They are so young. At least Daniel, Drew, and Braden have more guidance, but Caleb has so much anger inside of him. I don't know how to guide him. Each time I suggest something, he gets defensive. How did you do it for so many years? How were you able to be an elder and raise two wolves?" She sighed as she thought about the trials and tribulation she faced with her children in the past.

"It was difficult at times, but this generation will be even harder to get through to. The pack is separate from the council, you know that. Any decision you made, right or wrong, was one that we had to accept. We tried to guide you as much as possible, but it was not always easy. Caleb is going to be difficult to get through to because he feels like he has something to prove to everyone on the reservation. He doesn't feel the same connection to the tribe that you did as alpha."

"I don't know what to do with him. He just became a wolf and he has already gotten into trouble. He is lucky the Cullens have a good rapport with us or the treaty would have been broken after Billy's funeral. Maybe I shouldn't have stepped down as alpha. If I would have known that the gene would be triggered again so soon….."

"Hindsight is twenty, twenty. You did what was best for your family and there was no way for you to have known about the gene in Caleb. Sam, all you can do now is try your best to guide him and teach him as much as possible. What he does with that knowledge is up to him. Besides, the amount of trouble he can get into will be limited." Sam chuckled.

"That's true. We shouldn't have to worry about as much tension as there was when Jacob became involved with Bella. I am just concerned about his leadership capabilities. Maybe I will not have to worry about that for long though."

"Leah told me about what you think Joshua will become. My grandson is very special, but he is also a lot like his parents. Neither of them wanted to be in a pack. It takes a lot of responsibility and commitment. You can't expect for Josh to just phase and decide to pull rank over Caleb. Plus, his best friend is a vampire. Seth, Leah, and Jacob do not have the best track record with staying close to the pack, so do not expect for Josh to. Believe it or not, what you are going through with Caleb is not out of the norm. I remember a time when you were not so enthused about becoming a wolf."

"So what do I do?"

"You give it time and have patience…..a whole lot of patience." Sam took a gulp from his bottle of beer and nodded, knowing that Sue was right.

Kaya watched as her brother took down a deer deep within the forest. She waited for him to be sated with thirst and climbed into a tree as he wiped his mouth.

"That should be enough until dinner. When are you and Seth coming over?"

"Not until tomorrow, he wants to spend some time with his nephew first."

"I am glad you suggested this hunt. It has been a while since the two of us have just spent time alone together. Is everything alright with you and Seth?" She rolled her eyes.

"Please spare me from the big brother talk. You know Seth and I are just fine."

"You are my baby sister, it is my job….along with picking on you," he exclaimed as he jumped into the tree and nudged her out of it. She gracefully landed on her feet and began pelting him with rocks as he laughed. He dodged a couple as he leapt from the tree and onto the forest floor, but stiffened when a scent filled his nostrils. Kaya recognized his tense stance and followed him as he began tracking the scent.

"Nahuel, what is it," she asked and he knelt down beside a footprint in the dirt a few yards away.

"Don't you smell that?" She sniffed the air and shrugged.

"A vampire, probably a nomad passing through….."

"Uh huh, I have heard that before."

"The scent is faint. I am sure the nomad is long gone by now. Let's not make this a big deal. You know Alice would notify us if it were something major."

"Alice is in Italy relaxing with Jasper."

"Exactly, relaxing, something you should try to do." He traced the outline of the footprint with his finger and took in another deep breath, memorizing the scent.

"Something is different about this scent. I know you smell it." She groaned.

"Nahuel, come on, let's go. The nomad is not even in the area anymore. Stop making a big deal out of nothing." He slowly nodded as he stood up.

"Maybe you are right."

"Of course I am. Let's try to find some more deer. Seth is probably going to want pizza tonight and that doesn't sound appetizing to me at all. I need to hunt more." Nahuel chuckled and ruffled her hair as they ran deeper into the forest in search of more animals to hunt.

That evening, the moon hung high and the waves crashed into the shores of First Beach as Caleb and Braden sat around a bonfire eating hot dogs and waiting on Drew and Daniel to arrive. Caleb gazed up at the stars shining brightly.

"You don't get this type of view from the city, too much pollution," he stated.

"Do you miss it? The rez is pretty different from big city life," said Braden and Caleb smirked.

"That's an understatement, but the rez has its advantages. Who would have thought that being here would make me stronger, faster, and a leader of a pack? That's not a bad deal if you ask me."

"I guess not. My dad is worried though, about the pack."

"Your dad worries too much."

"What if we have to face a newborn army like he did or….."

"Then we will defeat it. Look, why is everyone around here worried about us? First Sam, now your dad, I am sure everyone that knows about us doubts what we can do, but last time I checked, we have kick ass powers and I plan on using them as much as possible." Braden was quiet as he stared at the fire and Caleb rolled his eyes when he sensed his apprehension.

"Braden, seriously, chill, this is going to be awesome, so relax. That's an order from your alpha," he teased and Braden chuckled. He saluted Caleb and they laughed as Drew and Daniel frantically sprinted over to them. Caleb darted up, sensing their anxiety, and Drew pointed toward the forest.

"We saw something. It had to be vampires, three of them," informed Drew and Caleb rubbed his hands together as he grinned.

"Perfect, which way did they head," he asked.

"I think the better question is what color were their eyes," announced Sam as he approached them and Caleb smirked. Braden, Drew, and Daniel all shook his hand respectfully, but Caleb crossed his arms.

"Sam, what do you want? This doesn't concern you," said Caleb and Sam crossed his arms as well. The two of them stood toe to toe and Drew, Daniel, and Braden watched nervously as they stared each other down. They were raised to respect Sam and trusted him, unlike Caleb did.

"You should be careful for many reasons Caleb. Fighting vampires is not an easy thing to do and you don't even know if they are friends or foes."

"Hey, the gene is inside of us because we are supposed to protect our people. The treaty has made you soft. If there are vampires on our land, we have every right to defend it." Sam turned to Drew and Daniel.

"Some of the Cullens are in the area. Are you sure you did not see some of them?" Drew and Daniel glanced at each other and shrugged.

"We don't know. They went by really fast and from a distance," replied Drew.

"Gold or red eyes," asked Sam and the boys sighed.

"Couldn't tell," added Drew.

"Then maybe you should wait to take action until you know for sure," advised Sam. Caleb glared at him.

"You don't get to decide that for me. I am the alpha, not you. I will ask my pack questions, not you."

"I am an elder looking out for your best interest. If you go after a Cullen, it affects more than just the pack. The treaty is too important to risk because of your overzealous behavior."

"The treaty protects golden eyes, not nomads. If they are on our land, then they are dangerous and it is our duty to protect the tribe. As alpha, that is my responsibility."

"A good alpha also knows when he is in over his head. Do not risk the safety of the tribe or your pack by being impulsive."

"There are only three, we can handle them," assured Caleb.

"You have no clue what you are up against. I have fought in many battles against vampires and it takes more than four wolves, especially inexperienced wolves, to take out three vampires."

"We'll see about that." Caleb turned away, but Sam grabbed his arm.

"That wasn't a challenge, it was a fact. Don't do this Caleb," warned Sam, but Caleb jerked away from him.

"I am the alpha of my pack, not you, and this pack will follow my orders, not yours. We are going to find out who is on our land and if they are not Cullens or golden eyed vamps, we are going to do what we were made to do." He stormed off and Drew, Daniel, and Braden glanced back and forth between Sam and Caleb. They were conflicted. Caleb was their alpha, their leader, but Sam was the one they respected the most and knew the longest. Sam sighed and nodded as Caleb called for them to follow him. Sam knew they would not have a choice in the matter. They had to follow their alpha.

"Go on, but be safe. I will tell your fathers where you are," informed Sam and they nodded before running after Caleb. Once they reached the edge of the forest, they phased into wolf form and Sam took in a shaky breath.

"Please stay safe," he mumbled and jogged back to his home in order to call Brady and Jared. The new pack was officially established and on the move.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Clouds rolled in and out of the region throughout the night, but the sun's rays warmed La Push well into the afternoon. The temperature was warmer than usual for October at 75 degrees and Josh begged his parents to let him surf with Zach. Jacob and Leah watched the two boys as they rode waves and took advantage of the rare heat of the sun on their skin. The stretch of beach below Jacob and Leah's house was secluded and formed by a division of rocks and cliffs, allowing Zach to roam freely in the sun without worrying about his sparkling skin catching the eye of outsiders. Leah giggled as Zach performed a handstand on his board and rode it toward the shore. Josh was in awe of Zach's effortless feat.

"He is so much like his father, a little less boisterous though," teased Leah and Jacob nodded as he watched Zach flip to his feet and pump his fist into the air.

"He's definitely Emmett's son. Once Josh is a wolf, those two are going to be a handful."

"Don't remind me. It is going to be hard enough to deal with Josh once he begins to phase."

"I think it will be much easier for Josh than it was on us. We can help him through the confusion and he already knows what is coming. That is a big advantage. Plus, he knows much more about vampires than we did," explained Jacob.

"But knowing and dealing with it are two different things. Puberty is hard enough without worrying about transforming into a wolf. Something is going to have to trigger it. Anger, grief, something, and I just hope he deals with it better than we did. I don't want our son going through the hell our hearts did because he is a wolf," confessed Leah and Jacob scooted closer to her on the sand. He wrapped her in his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder as they watched their son laugh and joke with his friend.

"He isn't us Leah. He has a huge support system to be there for him. He has both of his parents and an uncle that is a wolf as well. Plus, plenty of vampires that are willing to tell him whatever he wants to know about that side of our supernatural world. Everyone will be prepared."

"But what if….."

"Leah, stop worrying," he chuckled and nuzzled her neck as she giggled.

"I am his mother. It is my job to worry."

"True, but look around you right now," he urged and her smile brightened. Josh laughed and pumped his fist as Zach used his power to guide his friend's surf board across the waves. Josh encouraged him to make it go faster and Zach chuckled at his excitement. Seth and Kaya were on a cliff overlooking the ocean and she squealed as he carried her to the edge to drop her off. He laughed as she corrected herself in the air and dove into the water before he dove in as well. It was a bright, sunny day and everyone was having fun. Leah kissed her husband's cheek and winked at him. She snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes as she got comfortable, but Jacob's groan made her tense up again.

"Great, here comes Sam. By the look he is giving, I have feeling he is not here just to catch up," grumbled Jacob as they made it to their feet. Sam smiled apologetically as he approached them.

"I don't mean to ruin your fun, but this is sort of important," said Sam and Leah rolled her eyes.

"No hello, no how are you, this must be serious," she mumbled and Sam nodded.

"You know I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't. Drew and Daniel spotted some nomads in the forest last night. The pack went to investigate, but lost them when they crossed the water and headed toward Seattle."  
"How many were there," asked Jacob.

"Three, a male and two females, the boys aren't sure what color their eyes were though. They never got close enough. The vampires took to the trees as soon as they noticed they were being followed."

"The new pack doesn't have the experience to deal with three vampires, especially if they cannot take them by surprise. Someone is going to get hurt," warned Jacob.

"I know, but what can I do? Caleb is the alpha and he is hell bent on fighting some vampires. He reminds me a lot of Paul, always out to prove something and kill any vampire he can." Leah sighed.

"That worries me. What do we even know about these nomads? Have they hunted on our land? Do they intend to? What if they aren't evil and Caleb breaks the treaty because of his stupidity and impulsiveness," asked Leah.

"I am worried about that too. Drew, Daniel, and Braden are hesitant about the entire thing, but Caleb is forcing them to track the nomads. Luckily, they were not able to get close to them last night, but if the nomads decide to stand their ground and fight…" Sam could not finish the sentence out of fear for what could occur. The pack was not prepared to take on three vampires, especially vampires they knew nothing about. Jacob crossed his arms.

"Well unfortunately for Caleb, we don't care about his orders or what he wants to do. We'll check it out tonight and see what we can find out," said Jacob, but Sam shook his head as he glanced out at the water where Josh and Zach were surfing.

"You should stay close to home just in case the nomads return. I know Nahuel and Renesmee are in the area. Maybe they can check it out, see if they can find some clues about these vampires," suggested Sam. Jacob pulled out his phone.

"I'm going to call Bells and see if any of their friends were supposed to be in the area. If the pack starts attacking vampires without caring who they are, it could cause some major issues." Jacob dialed Bella's number, but it went straight to voicemail. He huffed and dialed Edward's, but it also went to voicemail. Their phones were shut off and Jacob cursed under his breath. Leah grabbed her phone.

"Rose will pick up. In fact, I am sure she is just waiting by the phone," teased Leah as she dialed her friend's number. She waited impatiently for Rosalie to answer, but she never did.

"What the hell," growled Leah as she hung up and Sam frowned.

"Maybe something is wrong and….." Before Sam could finish, Leah's phone rang and she smiled when she saw Rosalie's number.

"Why didn't you answer your phone? Edward and Bella aren't answering theirs either. We thought something was wrong," scolded Leah and Rosalie huffed.

"You can blame my husband for that. He had me a bit….preoccupied."

"Ew."

"Is everything alright? Is Zach okay? Did he do something?"

"Rose, calm down. Zach is fine. He is surfing with Josh as we speak."

"Is Seth alright?"

"Yep, cliff diving."

"Renesmee, Nahuel, and Kaya?"

"All fine."

"Then why are you interrupting my time with my mate?"

"Yea," bellowed Emmett into the phone and Leah rolled her eyes.

"We tried calling Edward and Bella first but their phones were off." Emmett laughed.

"That's because they are doing what we are…"

"Emmett! Okay Leah, what's up? If everyone is fine, then what is the problem?"

"There are nomads in the area. Caleb and his pack spotted some last night, but don't know what they look like. We are trying to figure out if they are friends or foes."

"How many nomads?"

"Three."

"Nomads usually do not stay in one place for long, but we should look into it."

"Rose, we can handle it. We just want to make sure they are not from a coven that your family knows. The wolves are not familiar with vampires like we are. If it was the Denali Coven, they would attack if they could not tell what eye color they have. At this point with Caleb, I am not sure he would not attack even if their eyes were gold."

"The Denalis would not go to Washington, especially not La Push or Forks, unless letting us know. Besides, they are at home. We planned on seeing them before we headed back your way. I am sure you can handle it, but we are going to finish up hunting and will arrive in the morning just in case. Bella and Edward turned off their main phones, but I will call their emergency lines to let them know what is going on. Tell everyone to stay close to the house, who knows if the nomads will return to the area or not."

"You really don't have to shorten your trip for this. It could be nothing."

"I rather be safe than sorry. We will see you in the morning."

"Alright, see you then," said Leah and she sighed as she hung up her phone. Sam smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry this is ruining the plans. I just don't have a good feeling about the pack trying to deal with any vampires." Jacob clapped Sam on the back.

"We understand. They are young and could do something irrational. I know Carlisle would never allow the treaty to be broken, but the pack has to respect the terms of it too. Caleb needs to learn that being an alpha doesn't mean living by his own rules," informed Jacob and Sam took in a deep breath, knowing that getting that through Caleb's head would be a difficult task.

Ozette Lake was only an hour from Forks and one of Charlie's favorite places to fish. The warm weather and beautiful view made it perfect for a relaxing trip. As Renesmee and Charlie sat on a dock testing their poles in the water, he basked in the serenity of the lake with a wistful smile.

"You can find some pretty good fishing in this lake, but Billy and I used to come here mainly for the scenery, nothing like kicking back with some beers and complaining about the Mariners," he chuckled as he shook his head. Renesmee slipped her hand into his with a sympathetic smile.

"I know you miss him, grandpa. If this is too hard for you, we can always go back and…."

"Are you kidding me? This is just what I need. I hardly ever get to spend time with my favorite granddaughter."

"I am your only granddaughter," giggled Renesmee and he kissed the top of her head.

"Still my favorite, so how are things with Nahuel? Is he treating you right?"

"Of course he is, like he really has a choice," she teased and he chuckled.

"Yea, he's a good kid." Renesmee snickered.

"He isn't exactly a kid, grandpa."

"Sure he is, I don't care how old you get or how old he gets, you are still kids to me." Renesmee bit her lip to stop from laughing as Charlie looked at her curiously. He thought for a moment about everything he knew about vampires and frowned in confusion.

"Renesmee, how old is Nahuel?" She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Older than me."

"How much older?"

"Older."

"Renesmee, how old?"

"Grandpa, you know Nahuel is older than me. You have always known that about him."

"How old," repeated Charlie.

"Okay, you have to remember that for vampires, age is not an issue so…..

"Renesmee…..how old?"

"182," she whispered and Charlie's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Grandpa, it isn't a big deal."

"He is older than me!"

"So is my dad," she defended and Charlie groaned.

"I should have never asked."

"Grandpa, think of it this way. Technically he never ages so we look the same age. It really isn't an issue. I was lucky to find Nahuel, well really he found me, and I love him very much." Charlie sighed, but nodded.

"I know you do. I know he loves you too. He hovers, just like your father does. I am surprised he didn't want to come with us."

"He knew I wanted to spend some time with you. I have missed you."

"I missed you too kiddo," he chuckled before kissing her forehead. Renesmee kissed his cheek and hugged him, but her phone rang, interrupting their embrace. She sighed, but answered as soon as she saw who was calling.

"Hey Jake, what's up…..nomads, where…Nahuel went into the forest. I need to call him. Thanks for the update." She quickly ended the call and dialed Nahuel's number as Charlie looked at her questioningly.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Jacob says there were some vampires spotted in the forest. We aren't sure if they are good or bad ones. I need to let Nahuel know just in case they are the latter." Charlie slowly nodded, but then shook his head. The world of the supernatural still baffled him at times.

Nahuel traced the outline of yet another footprint with the same scent he detected the day before. This time it was not deep within the forest. It was well past the treaty line and into La Push. His phone rang and he answered as he walked back toward the line that separated where the vampires could and could not hunt.

"Nahuel, I want you to come back to my grandpa's house," said Renesmee and he frowned in confusion.

"I thought you were fishing. Do you miss me already," he teased.

"Of course I do, but that isn't the reason. Jake called me. There are nomads in the area."

"I knew it. Kaya and I saw some footprints yesterday and I just saw more. They passed the treaty line."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"We figured they were just passing through and it was nothing to worry about."

"We are never that lucky. It could be nothing, but the wolves are on the lookout. I think we should be as well. Please come back. It would make me feel better to know you aren't out in the forest. We don't know what we are dealing with."

"Okay, I will head back, but you should continue your fishing trip with Charlie. I will make sure Sue is protected and alert Kaya and Seth."

"Alright, please be careful. I love you."

"I love you too. Have fun with your grandfather." Nahuel hung up and immediately scanned the area for any intruders. He flared his nostrils and picked up the scent again. There was something very familiar about it, something he could not comprehend and it frustrated him.

Without a second thought, he began tracking the scent. Trees blurred by and wind whipped past him as he raced through the forest, the scent still lingering in his nose. It led him away from La Push and Forks, which he was relieved by, but soon he found himself deep within the forest again. The scent continued east toward Seattle and he could decipher the stench of wolves immersed in it. The pack had been on the path of the nomads, but the footprints disappeared while the scent remained. He looked up at the trees and surmised that the nomads used them to their benefit against the wolves. Suddenly, his senses were on high alert and he could feel a presence drawing closer. It was still at a distance, but near enough to make him want to crouch defensively. A sound echoed through his ears as if it was caught by the wind and carried over to him.

"Traidor," whispered a deep voice and he spun toward the direction it came from. It came from the east and he took a step toward it. It was from above him, somewhere in the trees, but still not close to him. The word was Portuguese, his native tongue, but he was baffled by it.

"Traitor," he asked into the trees.

"Traidor," answered the whisper and he frowned.

"I am no traitor. Who are you? You trespassed on land that is occupied." The whisper did not respond, but soon it echoed rapidly into the forest.

"προδότης"

"Traditore"

"Tradhtar"

"Traître," continued the whisper, each in different languages, Greek, Italian, Albanian, French, and finally Portuguese again.

"Traidor, traidor, traidor," echoed the whisper until it became louder and louder. It was moving toward him and Nahuel looked up just in time to see a figure pouncing on him from a tree. He threw the vampire off of him and flipped to his feet just in time to see it fleeing. His heart raced furiously as he gave chase and when the vampire leapt into a tree, he followed. The two of them jumped and swung from tree to tree, getting closer to the edge of the forest and Seattle. The sound of water drew nearer and Nahuel pushed from tree to tree even faster than before. He was gaining on the nomad and could see the back of its head. It was a man with light brown hair, but Nahuel could not see his face. Suddenly, a figured blurred past him on the ground, a woman, and as his attention focused on her. Another crashed into him and he tumbled out of the tree and smashed into the forest floor as three vampires dove into the water. Two were women and they fled as quickly as possible, but the man turned to look at Nahuel.

Nahuel was stunned momentarily, but made it to his feet, ready to jump into the water to give chase again, but he stopped in his tracks when he caught his first glimpse of the nomad. It shook him to his core when he realized the vampire's eyes were not red. They were not golden either. They were similar in color to his, but a lighter brown, and the man smiled deviously before turning to swim away. It was not just the scent that was familiar to him. A scent that he realized belonged to his species, hybrids. It was also his face. He resembled a man that Nahuel hated with a passion. He looked like his father, Joham.

He gulped and took in a shaky breath as he dusted himself off. A part of him wanted to follow them. He wanted to know how it was possible that the man looked so much like Joham, but another part of him wanted to get as far away from the nomads as possible. He listened to that part and sprinted back to Forks as quickly as his feet would take him. When he arrived, Renesmee was waiting for him on the porch with her arms crossed and her jaw clenched. She did not look pleased and he sighed as he emerged from the forest. She ran over to her mate and looked him over for injuries repeatedly. Her eyes were trained on his torn collar and he tried to smile nonchalantly as he shrugged.

"It was nothing. I just got into a quick scuffle, barely any damage done." She glared at him. He gulped as he took a step backward and she stalked forward.

"I told you to come home. What part of that was misconstrued," she hissed and he put his hands up defensively.

"I was on my way home, but I picked up their scents."

"Whose scent?"

"The nomads."

"And instead of listening to your wife, your mate, you decide that it would be best to venture into the forest to find out who it belonged to? Nahuel, what were you thinking? What if something happened to you? By the looks of it, something did happen to you!"

"I wasn't going to follow them, but one of them called to me, at least I think he did. He spoke to me in Portuguese, Renesmee. How would he know to do that unless he knew me?" She frowned in confusion.

"What did he say," she asked and Nahuel looked down as he thought about the encounter with the mysterious figure.

"He called me a traitor. Renesmee, he looked like….it isn't possible."

"What isn't possible?" He was silent and she ran her fingers through his hair as she leaned her forehead against his. "Please talk to me Nahuel."

"I think I saw…..well I think I saw my father….sort of."

"Wait, Joham, I thought he was dead?"

"He is. Maybe it was his ghost. I don't know. It didn't look exactly like him. He looked more like us, half vampire and half human. His eyes were brown, but he moved like we do. I don't understand."

"That would explain why Aunt Alice couldn't see you anymore. She is used to us, but not others of our kind. She called me to let me know something was wrong but she didn't know what. Aunt Rosalie called my dad and he called Aunt Alice to let her know about the nomads. She couldn't see them even when she tried though. I guess now we know why. They must be hybrids. How is that possible?"

"I don't know. I was so close to catching him, but there were two others, females. One knocked me out of a tree and they managed to escape into the water. Damn it. I was so close!" He gritted his teeth in anger and she kissed his forehead.

"I am just happy you are safe." He smiled and kissed her tenderly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Without warning, she slapped him upside the back of his head and he flinched as he pulled away from her in shock.

"What was that for?"

"That was for putting yourself in danger! Don't you ever do that to me again! I can't lose you Nahuel so the next time you decide to be a hero, don't," she demanded as she poked him in the chest and he winced.

"Sorry," he said as he hugged her.

"I love you too much to ever have something happen to you," she whimpered and he cupped her cheek.

"I know that. I love you too. Renesmee, I can't just ignore this though. I don't know what is happening, but it has nothing to do with you. This is about me. I brought danger here and I am going to figure out how." He walked into the house and she shook her head as she followed him.

Calls were made and information was shared between Sam and the Cullens about the nomads. Nahuel's discovery did not change the course of action for the others, but it did for him. Carlisle and Esme were alerted about the nomads and they agreed with Sam. The new pack was not experienced enough to handle three nomads in the vicinity. It was too dangerous and Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, Rosalie, and Emmett would arrive in the morning to decide how to proceed. Alice and Jasper were on their way back from Italy and Alice's frustration was palpable to her mate when she realized she would not be able to see anything. Unfamiliar hybrids and wolves were her weaknesses still and while her power grew over the years, she was still in the process of trying to overcome that hiccup. The tension in Forks was high as the sun set and the evening arrived. Renesmee was on the phone with her father in hopes of being updated on the situation.

"So grandpa could find nothing about ghosts when he looked in the study?"

"No and does not believe they exist. Your description sounds more like a hybrid, not a ghost. Your mother and I are packing now. We plan on leaving soon, but your grandfather wants to do as much research as possible before we head there. He also is speaking with Marcus about when Joham was eliminated," explained Edward and Renesmee groaned.

"So pretty much we know nothing."

"Be patient. I promise we will be there soon, sweetie. Just stay close with your grandpa and Sue tonight. All of you kids are under strict orders. Rosalie already told Zach, Seth, and Kaya, but the same goes for you two. Stay out of the forest."

"We will daddy. I love you."

"Love you too sweetheart and don't worry. We will figure this out." Renesmee sighed as she hung up and walked into the kitchen where Kaya was helping Sue finish up dinner. Charlie was setting the table and Renesmee could sense Nahuel sitting in the backyard, but not Seth.

"Where is Seth," she asked and Kaya looked down at her watch.

"He should be here soon. Sam came over again. He is worried about the pack and is talking with Seth, Jacob, and Leah about Caleb's decision. Sam told him that the others were on their way, but Caleb refuses to wait. He is sending the pack out tonight to search for them."

"Foolish boy, I wish I could say I was surprised," confessed Sue. Kaya looked out the window and saw her brother deep in thought.

"Maybe I should go talk to him," suggested Kaya, but Renesmee shook her head.

"I will," said Renesmee and Kaya smiled reassuringly at her.

"He is just scared," whispered Kaya.

"I know he is," agreed Renesmee as she walked outside. Nahuel was leaning against the wall and staring off into the distance as his mate approached him. She ran a hand through his hair and he leaned into her touch.

"I thought this was over. I thought Joham was out of my life for good, but I guess I was wrong. If anything happens to you because of me….."

"Hey, don't talk like that. We are going to figure this out. We always do right?" He slowly nodded but his eyes betrayed him. They were tormented and pained as he looked away from her.

"He wants me, I know it. I want you and Kaya to stay far away from him. I will deal with this."

"Nahuel, you cannot expect for me to stay away if that means staying away from you too." He kissed the tops of her hands and gazed into her eyes to convey his seriousness.

"Renesmee, you have to. This has nothing to do with you. This is about me. It is my fight."

"Just like it had nothing to do with you when you came to save me from the Volturi all those years ago, so get it through your head, we fight together. Always. We are mates. That is how it works."

"Mates protect each other, no matter what. I will do anything to protect you."

"That works both ways."

"We should go eat. The food is ready," he mumbled, trying to change the subject, and she smirked.

"This is far from over," she warned before storming inside with him right behind her. Everyone sat down at the table and Kaya smiled when she heard Seth pull their car into the driveway. She stood up to embrace her mate as Seth jogged into the house and into the kitchen. He kissed her tenderly before hugging his mother and greeting everyone.

"The food looks great mom," he said as he sat down and she winked at him.

"Lasagna, one of your favorites," she teased as she handed him some garlic bread and he licked his lips. Nahuel cleared his throat and Seth looked up at from his plate.

"Any news about the wolves, are they going to be smart and stay away," he asked. Seth shook his head.

"Caleb refuses to listen to us. Sam tried to get him to come over to Jake and Leah's, but he already left with the pack. They are headed to the forest as we speak." Charlie's eyes widened.

"Wait, which pack? Caleb has a pack now," asked Charlie and Sue nodded.

"Drew, Daniel, and Braden phased, they are a part of Caleb's pack," informed Sue and Charlie scoffed.

"Those boys are too young. They can't go out there and fight whatever is in the forest. They are going to get themselves killed," exclaimed Charlie.

"There are only four in the pack. They are going to get hurt if they try to go up against them," agreed Nahuel and Renesmee smirked.

"Yes, it is incredibly stupid and naïve to go roaming around the forest looking for trouble. Only a complete and utter idiot would try to take them on alone," said Renesmee as she glared at her mate and he rolled his eyes.

"You know, I have to commend Caleb's heart though. He wants to protect the people he loves. There is nothing wrong with that. Charlie, if Sue were in danger because of you, wouldn't you do anything to make sure she was safe," asked Nahuel and Charlie nodded.

"Of course I would," said Charlie. Renesmee huffed and looked at Sue.

"Sue, if you knew that grandpa was putting himself in danger for no reason, wouldn't you do anything to make sure that didn't happen, especially if you knew you could help?" Sue smiled at her.

"Of course I would," agreed Sue and Renesmee smiled smugly. Seth and Kaya watched Renesmee and Nahuel stare each other down from across the table.

"Sue, while I am sure Charlie would appreciate the gesture, putting yourself in danger would not help the situation at all, right Charlie," asked Nahuel and Charlie took a swig of his beer before answering.

"Alright, you kids need to just….." Renesmee threw her napkin onto the table as she interrupted her grandfather.

"Appreciate the gesture? It is not a gesture! I am your mate! It is instinctive and if you really doubt that, if you really think that after all we have been through I could just sit back, while you get yourself killed, then maybe you don't know me at all," shouted Renesmee. Nahuel looked down as she marched out of the kitchen and Seth shook his head as he took a bite of his bread.

"Dude, you are so sleeping on the couch tonight," chuckled Seth and Kaya nudged him. Nahuel stood up and looked at his watch.

"I am going to check on Zach and make sure everything is alright at Jacob and Leah's. With the wolves on the loose looking for the nomads, we need to keep everyone safe in La Push as well. I will be back."

"Do you want some company? Seth and I will go with you," offered Kaya. Nahuel smiled as Seth shoveled more food into his mouth.

"No, you two stay here and enjoy dinner. I am not really that hungry. Sue, thank you for cooking a wonderful meal, I will be sure to get some leftovers if Seth does not devour them all." Sue smiled kindly at him as he departed. He decided to run along the main path to La Push, on high alert of his surroundings, and made it to Jacob and Leah's house in a couple of minutes. He could hear a football game on the television in the living room and smell pizza as he walked onto the steps. Jacob answered before he could knock and frowned in confusion when he noticed Nahuel was alone.

"What are you doing here? I figured Renesmee would be with you."

"I just wanted to check on Zach and make sure everything was alright over here."

"I am keeping an ear out. That's how I heard you before you even made it to the porch. Zach and Josh are watching the Patriots play. Everything is fine over here. The nomads would be out of their minds to step onto our property tonight." Nahuel was silent and Jacob recognized his anxiousness. "Is Renesmee alright?"

"Actually, she's pretty upset with me right now."

"What did you do and how much of a butt whooping am I going to have to give you?" Nahuel scoffed.

"I think you will be on my side about this. She might not believe me, but these nomads are not after anyone but me. I just know it."

"Yea, I heard that you think one of them is Joham."

"He looked like him….but not….it is hard to explain. I don't know what is going on, but I am going to find out. I need you to do me a favor though." Jacob eyed him suspiciously.

"It must be serious if you are asking me. I know I am not your favorite person."

"True, but you will protect her no matter what and I will always respect that about you. Just keep her safe for me. I am going to get to the bottom of this and that might mean things get ugly."

"Look, Nahuel, if you really think that she is going to listen to me, then you have another thing coming. She is like her mother and neither of them has ever listened to me when I really wanted them to. She loves you and she is fiercely loyal to the people she loves. She will sacrifice everything for you, I know that and so do you. I don't know how I can help."

"I am going into the forest tonight. Those wolves are going to get themselves killed trying to search for them."

"And you won't?"

"He wants me, so he is going to find me." Zach suddenly appeared at the door with an eager smile.

"I will go with you! It will be safer and I can handle them."

"Your parents would kill me and I hate to admit it, but I am terrified of your mother. Sorry Zach, but you need to stay here. Besides, they might need you here. Keep the house safe okay?" Zach rolled his eyes but nodded and Jacob shook his head.

"This is a bad idea Nahuel. Just do me a favor. Go back to Charlie and Sue's, talk to Renesmee, sleep on it, and then if you really want to do something, you can talk to the others about it when they arrive," suggested Jacob.

"I am going to head back. I just wanted to check on things here. Be careful tonight and Zach, watch the house just in case the nomads head this way." Zach saluted him with a smile and Nahuel ruffled his hair before running back toward Forks.

"Speaking of tonight Zach, are you going to have enough to do while Josh is asleep? I am sure your cousin and Nahuel would keep you company if you got bored." Zach chuckled and waved him off.

"I have to beat my dad's high score on a couple of games. That could take all night! My mom packed some books for me to read too. I am set."

"Good, but you make sure to wake me up if you need anything. Who knows how much sleep I am going to be able to get with the pack chasing after nomads anyways." Zach slowly nodded as he thought about what Nahuel said.

"Do you really think Nahuel would go into the forest alone?" Jacob sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nahuel doesn't want anyone to get hurt and he is willing to risk his safety to make sure that none of you are in danger. I will feel much better once the rest of your family arrives in the morning. Don't worry about that now though. Come on, let's finish watching the game." Zach followed Jacob back into the house, but could not help thinking about Nahuel. Whatever connection he had to the nomads, it was one that he was worried about and that made Zach worried as well.

Midnight brought an eerie calm to Forks and La Push as clouds flitted around in the sky. The moon created a dim hue and the wind swirled from the ocean onto the shores. The sleeping towns had no clue about the wolves descending into the forest in hopes of finding intruders or the vampires that waited impatiently for their family to arrive. Sue suggested that everyone get some rest since staying up and worrying about the threat would do no good. Renesmee, Nahuel, Kaya, and Seth appeased her by retiring for the evening, but Nahuel could not sleep. The face of the intruder replayed through his memory and he could wait no longer.

He glanced over at his wife as she rested beside him in bed and he silently slipped from the room. She did not say much to him before bedtime and he hoped that with any luck, he would deal with the vampires and be able to be back in her good graces by morning. He was sure that if given the chance, he would be able to persuade them to leave the area. With wolves hot on their trail and more vampires on the way, it would be an easy argument to make. He crept down the stairs of the house and smiled when he saw Kaya and Seth asleep together on the pullout bed. The couple looked peaceful and he managed to sneak out the front door without making a sound. At least, that is what he thought.

"Where do you think you are going," whispered Kaya as she closed the front door behind her. Nahuel rolled his eyes.

"Go back inside. I am just going for a walk."

"A walk into the forest, you cannot fool me Nahuel. Just wait until morning."

"This doesn't concern you," he whispered harshly and she glared at him.

"Like hell it doesn't. Joham was my father too and if these hybrids have anything to do with him, then it concerns me. Stop trying to play the martyr."

"I'm not. Maybe I can talk them out of whatever they are doing here." She smiled smugly and nodded.

"Fine, then we will both go find them."

"The three of us will," announced Renesmee as she exited the house and Nahuel groaned.

"Renesmee, my love….."

"Don't even try it. Since you are so gung-ho about going into the forest tonight, I will go with you. That is the only compromise I will make. You are not going without me Nahuel, so get over it," she declared.

"I'm going too," added Seth as he jogged outside with a grin and Nahuel threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Great, perfect, how about we wake up Sue and Charlie and have them come along as well," grumbled Nahuel and Seth chuckled.

"Doubt that would do any good, you know, with them being humans and all," he teased. Kaya giggled at her mate's enthusiasm, but Nahuel gritted his teeth.

"None of you have to go." Renesmee crossed her arms.

"Actually, you are right my love, none of us have to go, but if you plan on leaving, we are all leaving. I cannot believe you actually thought you would be able to sneak out, like I cannot sense the moment you are away from me, you are so absurd sometimes." Kaya giggled at her sister-in-law's annoyance and winked at her mate.

"Then it is settled. We will all go and try to figure out what is going on with these nomads," announced Kaya. Nahuel begrudgingly nodded. Seth phased as soon as they reached the side of the house and the four of them began their trek deep into the forest. Moonlight filtered through the trees and the sounds of insects and animals alike blended into one as they sped away from Forks. The scent of wolves was potent and traces of the stray vampires lingered around the trees. Nahuel pointed to a group of footprints as they raced ahead.

"They have to be around here somewhere. I can't believe they came back this way. They wandered back into Quileute territory," stated Nahuel.

"They must be looking for a fight with the wolves. Why else would they keep coming back when they know the wolves are tracking them," questioned Kaya and suddenly the echo of laughter made them come to a halt. It bounced off the trees, along with the scent of the nomads.

"Because your pets are no match for our skill and we have more important business to tend to," answered the same voice that Nahuel heard earlier. Nahuel crouched protectively in front of his mate and sister as Seth growled up at the trees. Three vampires abruptly appeared in a tree above them and Kaya's eyes widened when she saw the face of the man.

"Joham," she whispered in shock and the man laughed. He hopped down to the forest floor while the two females stayed in the tree, but kept their eyes trained on the group. Nahuel, Kaya, and Renesmee shared a look of acknowledgement and Kaya shook her head.

"But it can't be. Joham wasn't a hybrid and you…..you seem different," said Kaya as the man nodded. He smiled mischievously at her and Seth took a step in front of his mate.

"I heard you took a liking to pups, but I would not have believed it unless I saw it with my own eyes. Joham would have been so disgusted." Kaya glared at the man.

"Who are you?" He feigned a hurt expression and gasped.

"Why dear sister, I am shocked! You don't recognize me? It has been said that I favor our father more than any of my siblings, but you do have some of his features. As do you, traitor." Nahuel took a step toward the man, but Renesmee pulled him back.

"Easy Nahuel," warned Renesmee.

"Oh, you must be the missus. Renesmee Cullen, the one you sacrificed my father for. I must admit that this is a pretty impressive life you made for yourself, Nahuel. As a reward for your treachery, you get to live like royalty amongst the most powerful coven in the world. Their name truly does precede them."

"Then you know what my family can do. That should be enough incentive for you to leave," informed Renesmee and the man laughed.

"It is very interesting. When Sofi spoke of coming to America to see more of the world, I figured I couldn't pass up the chance to meet my big brother. I heard you were no longer in Washington, but you still had friends in the area. I wouldn't be caught dead fraternizing with mongrels, but I suppose to each their own."

"Watch it," warned Kaya and the man smiled slyly at her.

"Aw big sis, don't be so sensitive. It isn't my fault you prefer to lie with dogs." Kaya crouched defensively and the women bounded from the tree. They approached the man and one of them shook their head.

"Careful Roman, that is her mate," she warned and Nahuel frowned in confusion.

"Roman, so that's your name? What about you two? Did Joham change you too," asked Nahuel and Roman wrapped an arm around each of the women.

"Allow me to make the proper introductions. I am Roman, your brother, and these two just so happen to be your sisters, Iris and Sofi. Sofi is our baby sister, the youngest. She was the last to be created before you had our poor father killed." Nahuel gulped and Kaya's jaw dropped as she looked at the three siblings she never knew she had.

"If you are their family, then why are you trying to cause trouble? Why didn't you come forward sooner," asked Renesmee.

"Because we wanted nothing to do with your kind, Nahuel's treachery made us have to go into hiding. Once he betrayed our father and had him killed by the Volturi, we had no choice but to conceal our identity out of fear. If Aro and Caius knew about us, we would either be dead or captured for their entertainment. Even after rumors began to circle about the Volturi being killed by your coven, we couldn't take the chance. Years passed before we even dared to venture out of our home."

"I thought Kaya was the last to be created. That is what Joham told me the last time we spoke," said Nahuel and Roman scoffed.

"Do you really think that our father would stop with the likes of you? You were his greatest disappointment, Nahuel. All he wanted was a son and once you turned your back on him, he decided to create as many hybrids as it took until he made the perfect son, me. He wanted to create one more, so I could have a brother, but he never got the chance. He realized that his gift was being wasted on you, little did he know that you would cause his demise."

"I didn't get Joham killed. He knew the risk when he started creating us and leaving our mothers for dead. Do you two speak or does he think for you as well," questioned Nahuel and Iris nodded.

"Of course we do, but this is Roman's fight, not ours. We are here at his request," said Iris.

"At his request, why, why are you trying to fight Nahuel," asked Kaya and Roman smiled at her.

"Good question sis. You see, while I go by Roman, my full name is Romulus. Our father named me after the founder of Rome. He too had a brother, Remus, and they were created from greatness. Both brothers wanted to found a city, but had differing ideas about how it should come about, so Romulus killed his brother, knowing that only one of them could remain and his empire of Rome was built. Joham was right about you Nahuel. You care more about yourself than continuing on with his work and unfortunately, I don't think there is room in this world for two of Joham's sons. If it is all the same to you, I would like to be the one to prosper." Roman crouched down, but Iris grabbed his arm. He looked at her curiously as she shook her head.

"You said nothing about killing him. You said you wanted to confront him about what happened," she explained and Roman rolled his eyes.

"Kill, confront, same thing, may I please get on with this?" Sofi grabbed Iris's hand, truly looking frightened.

"I don't want to do this. Let's just go Roman. He is our family, even with our differences," added Sofi.

"Will you two please get a hold of yourselves? He killed our father! He is the reason we had to hide like the animals!" Nahuel shook his head furiously.

"Joham was a murderer. He killed our mothers. He left them to die and us to fend for ourselves. He was never a father to me or our other sisters. We weren't his children. We were experiments," defended Nahuel and Roman strolled over to him. Nahuel eyed him curiously.

"Joham did not murder our mothers. You, Nahuel, are the murderer. You put a bounty on his head and the Volturi fulfilled it. They scoured the earth and hunted him down like an animal. At least you did not show such cowardice with your mother. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you the one that ended her life?"

There were not many ways to provoke Nahuel. He rarely lost his temper. He always preferred to remain calm, but taunting him about his mate and his mother were lines he refused to let be crossed without consequence. Roman's mentioning of his mother's death was all it took for him to snap. He lunged forward before anyone could stop him and Roman kicked him off of him. Nahuel went hurling back into the trees, dazed in the process, and Renesmee pounced on the man that threatened to harm her mate. Her hand quickly found his throat and she flooded his thoughts with hers. She thought of all the vampires she killed in the past and how she would add him to the list.

Iris and Sofi were conflicted. Roman was their brother and they cared for him, even if they did not agree with his actions, so with much apprehension, Iris grabbed Renesmee to pull her off of Roman. Kaya swiftly tackled Iris, but the woman flipped back up to her feet.

"Sofi get out of here," demanded Iris, but Sofi shook her head.

"Not without you," said Sofi as she pulled her sister back toward the tree they jumped out of. Roman grabbed Renesmee and Kaya from behind before throwing them into the brush and Seth pounced on the man, causing him to scream out in pain as Seth's teeth gnashed at his shoulder.

Iris might not have wanted to fight her family, but she felt no hesitation about fighting a wolf. She lunged at Seth, grabbing him around his midsection, and smiled when she heard the cracking of bone. He yelped in pain and Nahuel grabbed the woman by her throat. He dragged her away from Seth as Roman tried to make it back to his feet. His shoulder and arm were damaged, but he swiped at Nahuel nonetheless. Kaya roared in anger when she saw Seth crumpled on the forest floor and she speared Iris into the ground. Renesmee and Nahuel circled around Roman and he seethed with hatred at the two of them as Kaya grabbed Iris's throat. Her razor sharp teeth were about to pierce Iris's neck, but Sofi made a desperate attempt at saving her sister. She slapped Kaya across the face and Kaya hissed at her. Kaya took a step toward Sofi, but stopped when she saw the fear in the girl's eyes. She was young, her baby sister, and Kaya could not find it in her to attack her for trying to help one of their sisters. Sofi scaled up a tree and Kaya turned her attention back to Iris as the woman scrambled to her feet.

Renesmee, Nahuel, and Kaya stalked toward Roman and Iris, who looked panicked. They were outnumbered, but Roman smiled sadistically when he saw how close he was to Seth. The wolf was regenerating, but still injured and Roman planned on taking advantage of the situation. Kaya followed his gaze and lunged to protect her mate as Roman lunged at him. Before they could crash into each other, both stopped midair. They were frozen in place and they glanced at each other in shock before Kaya was gently placed on the ground and Roman was hurled into a boulder. Iris and Sofi were hurled into a boulder beside their brother and Renesmee sighed in relief when she saw her little cousin standing protectively by Seth. His eyes were fierce and trained on the nomads.

"Do you want me to dismember them," asked Zach as he used his power to hoist them in the air. Before Nahuel could respond, Kaya spoke up.

"No," she declared and Nahuel huffed.

"Kaya!"

"No, Nahuel, we aren't murderers. We only fight to defend ourselves. If we kill them, we are no better than Joham. Don't you see? This is what he would want! His experiments destroying each other until only the strongest survive. I won't do it. I won't be him," shouted Kaya and Nahuel looked at his mate. Renesmee nodded and Zach placed the three of them on the ground. Sofi looked at Kaya with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you," she said and Kaya smiled at her, but then glared at Iris.

"If you touch my mate again, there will be no mercy. I will kill you and take great pleasure in it, sister or not," warned Kaya and Iris gave a curt nod. Roman held his shoulder in place as he eyed Nahuel.

"This isn't over big brother," he taunted as Iris pulled him away.

"Let's go Roman," insisted Iris and no one else said a word until the three disappeared. Kaya knelt beside her mate to assess the damage and she sighed in relief when she touched his midsection.

"He has a broken rib, but is already starting the healing process," she announced and Zach looked at his brother with great concern. Renesmee and Nahuel glanced at each other as the sound of thunderous galloping came barreling toward them.

"Wolves," asked Nahuel.

"Yea, but why are they….Zach look out," screamed Renesmee as a wolf launched itself at Zach.

"Whoa," yelled Zach in shock as he sidestepped the wolf. It clawed at Zach's chest and managed to rip his shirt before he sent it crashing into the forest floor. Two more emerged, growling and stalking forward as Renesmee looked at them in disbelief.

"We aren't the enemy," she shouted and Kaya crouched defensively in front of Seth. Her protective stance made the wolves stop and they glanced at each other, communicating telepathically before backtracking. The other wolf regained composure and backtracked into the brush as well.

"What the hell was that," asked Nahuel and Kaya shook her head.

"I don't know, but I am really starting to think leaving the house was a bad idea," said Kaya. Suddenly, Caleb emerged from the brush in a pair of shorts and Renesmee glared at him.

"What is your problem," she growled and he put his hands up defensively.

"We thought you were the others. They attacked one of us not too far from here and we were looking for them. It is a little hard to tell who is who. Is Seth okay," he asked and Kaya pet her mate's fur as he struggled at first, but made it to his feet. He shook out his fur and Zach looked him over.

"I can use my power to carry you back to the house, Seth. Grandpa will be here by dawn," suggested Zach, but Seth shook his head and nudged Zach's shoulder to let him know he was alright. Nahuel crossed his arms as he approached Caleb.

"You attacked us. I am pretty sure that breaks the treaty. You are lucky we didn't fight back," scolded Nahuel and Caleb smirked as he rubbed his backside.

"Being tossed aside like a ragdoll isn't necessarily a sign of peace either," grumbled Caleb and Zach rolled his eyes.

"You attacked me first!" Renesmee's eye widened when she realized what Caleb said.

"Wait, one of the wolves was attacked, which one? Is everything okay," she questioned and Caleb shook his head.

"No, in fact, we need your help. Follow me," he said before running back into the brush to phase. They looked at each other curiously, but did as he requested. Kaya walked with Seth as he gingerly moved through the forest nursing his right side. The others raced ahead and Nahuel, Renesmee, and Zach winced when they reached their destination. In the middle of the forest floor was a teenage boy curled up in a ball and groaning in pain. Renesmee knelt down beside the boy and gasped when she realized which wolf it was.

"Nahuel, we have to get him to Sam. Brady's son is badly injured," she said as she scanned over the boy's wounds and Nahuel swiftly moved into action. He picked Braden up as gingerly as possible and carried him toward La Push with the others following close behind him. It did not take them long to cross the treaty line and soon they were only a mile from Sam's house. They were all relieved to be back on friendly territory, but that feeling was fleeting.

As soon as they emerged from the trees beside Sam's house, eight very angry adults came into view and Zach groaned. On the porch stood Rosalie, Emmett, Leah, Edward, Bella, Carlisle, Esme, and Sam and none of them looked welcoming. Braden groaned in Nahuel's arms and Carlisle sped over to tend to the boy. He took him from Nahuel's arms and carried him into Sam's house with Esme, who was carrying his doctor's bag. Sam pointed toward the road and glared at the wolves.

"Go home and let your parents know you are alright, then report back to me," ordered Sam and even Caleb refused to protest when he saw Sam's hard glare. Sam stormed into the house to check on Braden while the wolves trotted back into the brush to change and walk home.

Renesmee looked nervously at her parents, Rosalie, Emmett, and Leah, who were all still standing on the porch with stern expressions. Rosalie and Leah's faded when Seth limped over to the side of the house and Kaya helped him into his shorts after he was back in human form. He leaned against her as they made their way inside with Leah was right behind them. Rosalie ran over to Zach when she noticed his torn shirt.

"What happened," she asked and he laughed nervously.

"Okay, good news and bad news, good news, we know who the nomads are. Bad news, they kind of tried to attack everyone," he confessed as Emmett walked over to survey the damage. Rosalie gritted her teeth and Edward's eyes widened when he read all of their thoughts.

"Wait, the wolves did that to Zach's shirt? They attacked you too," asked Edward in disbelief. Renesmee, Nahuel, and Zach glanced at each other and Zach smiled sheepishly.

"Yea, I guess that would fall under the bad news category, but um…..good news is that we're fine," he tried and Rosalie smirked as she arched an eyebrow at her son.

"Oh Zach, my sweet baby boy, you are anything but fine," she assured and Bella nodded as she glared at her daughter and Nahuel.

"You three are in so much trouble," said Bella and Renesmee, Nahuel, and Zach gulped as their parents all crossed their arms.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Uley House bustled with activity and commotion as Carlisle tended to Braden and Seth, while Esme and Emily assisted him. Sam was on the phone speaking with Jacob, who stayed at home to make sure Josh was safe. The young boy was fast asleep and had no clue about the danger around him. Sam was relieved that it was the weekend his and Emily's daughter, Allie, was staying with a friend. He wanted to keep her as far away from their supernatural world as possible for as long as possible. Kaya sat beside her mate, along with Leah, who continued to scold the two of them for being so irresponsible. The two of them nodded, but stayed quiet, knowing that they were not getting the brunt of the reprimanding. Seth was healing and more than willing to be in bed by his mate, instead of outside being interrogated.

Unfortunately for Zach, Renesmee, and Nahuel, they were not as lucky. Edward, Bella, Rosalie, and Emmett stood firmly by the fire pit in front of Sam's house as Renesmee, Nahuel, and Zach sat in lawn chairs, bracing for the yelling to begin. The more time that passed in silence, the more anxious they became and Zach opened his mouth to speak. Rosalie gave him the look that he dreaded from his mother, effectively silencing him. It was the look she gave when she meant business and he looked pleadingly at his father for help. Emmett shook his head.

"Not this time," stated Emmett and Zach pushed out his bottom lip in pout. Rosalie and Bella glanced at Edward, who sifted through Zach, Renesmee, and Nahuel's thoughts to get the full story. He shook his head in disbelief at what he heard and Rosalie silently asked him who was responsible for them entering the forest. Bella was wondering the same thing.

"Nahuel, Renesmee, Kaya, and Seth went into the forest to found out who the nomads were. Nahuel thought it would be wise to confront the nomads, who are actually related to him and Kaya. Joham created three more hybrids before he was killed by the Volturi. Their names are Roman, Iris, and Sofi and it seems that Roman has a personal vendetta against Nahuel for what happened to their father. Seth was injured by Iris when Nahuel and Roman started the fight. Zach knew Nahuel would go into the forest and decided to sit outside of Jacob and Leah's house when they went to sleep so that he could listen out for any danger. Instead of staying put, he went into the forest and used his power to break up the fight.

"They spared Roman, Iris, and Sofi because they are Nahuel and Kaya's family. The wolves accidently attacked Zach, Renesmee, Nahuel, and Kaya because they mistook them for the trio who are responsible for Braden being hurt. Zach fended them off with ease and the wolves realized who they were. They led them back to Braden and that is when they all came back here…..and yes Zach, I had to tell them, even if you think it makes me a tattle tale," informed Edward and Rosalie gritted her teeth.

"You watch your mouth young man," admonished Rosalie and Zach's eyes widened.

"I didn't say any…."

"Zach," warned his father.

"Sorry Uncle Edward," mumbled Zach and Edward winked at him.

"It's okay. You can't help that I can read your thoughts. Rose, Caleb attacked him," said Edward as Rosalie's mind raced.

"We need to have a little talk with the new pack," she growled and Bella nodded curtly.

"Agreed, but first let's deal with these three," suggested Bella. Edward smiled slyly and nudged Emmett.

"Come on let's leave our wives alone with them. I am sure they can handle it while we fill everyone else in," said Edward and Renesmee shook her head profusely.

"Daddy," she whined, but he shrugged.

"You brought this on yourself," he stated before going into the house with Emmett. Zach whimpered when he saw his mother and aunt share a look. Bella nodded at Rosalie, who took a step toward the three of them.

"So let me get this straight, this is your doing, Nahuel," questioned Rosalie and Nahuel looked down.

"I never meant for Zach to get involved. In fact, I told him to stay with Jacob, Leah, and Josh. I didn't even want Renesmee, Kaya, or Seth to come with me."

"What you did was foolish and irresponsible. I expected more from you since you are the oldest. I like you Nahuel. You are good for my niece, but let me make myself clear. If you ever endanger my son like that again, no matter what the reason is, you will have to deal with me, so consider yourself warned." Nahuel quickly nodded and Rosalie nodded at Bella, who spoke up.

"You three could have gotten yourselves killed. Zach is still a kid, but you two should know better. I cannot believe that you did this! Nahuel, I don't care what your intentions were, you endangered our family. You were all under strict orders to stay out of the forest and you knowingly disobeyed us." Nahuel sighed.

"Look, I understand that you are upset, but I was trying to prevent the whole family from getting involved with something that only affects me. I am not a child, like Zach," defended Nahuel and Zach sat up straighter.

"Hey, this child saved your butt! I am the only one that didn't have a problem handing it to them," said Zach confidently and Bella rolled her eyes.

"That might be true, but you had no business going into that forest Zachary. You have an amazing gift, but you are still a child and you will listen when you are told to stay out of a fight," scolded Bella and Zach looked down.

"Sorry Aunt Bella," he mumbled and Bella ruffled his curly hair.

"You still did a very brave thing by protecting your family. Thank you for keeping them safe," she added and Zach grinned from ear to ear with pride. Rosalie knelt down in front of her son and his smile faded as she cupped his face. Her eyes were full of despair and pain.

"That doesn't mean you get to venture off alone and put yourself in danger. You should have told Leah and Jacob and had one of them go with you. Zach, I cannot lose you, ever. The very thought just….." She stopped midsentence in order to regain composure and he pulled her in for a hug. She stroked his hair as she held onto him tightly.

"Sorry mom, I didn't mean to scare you. Please don't be sad." She kissed his cheek and took in a shaky breath.

"No more playing hero okay? What you did tonight was dangerous, even if everything turned out alright." He nodded and she kissed his forehead before standing up. The sound of Caleb's motorcycle coming down the road caught their ears and Rosalie and Bella shared a look.

"Now, if you will excuse us, we have a wolf to talk to," informed Rosalie. Renesmee, Nahuel, and Zach sighed in relief, thinking that it was over, but Rosalie turned back to her son.

"Oh, by the way, no video games for a month," stated Rosalie and Zach's jaw dropped.

"No fair mom, why am I the only one getting punished when I saved the day," he pouted and Bella smirked.

"Don't worry Zach. I might not be able to ground these two, but I am sure your grandmother would love to have a talk with them when all of this is over," giggled Bella and Renesmee put her face in her hands as Zach smiled smugly.

"Seth and Kaya are not off the hook either," added Rosalie. As soon as Caleb parked in front of Sam's house, Bella and Rosalie glared at him. Edward and Emmett raced outside to step between their mates and the alpha as Sam and Carlisle exited the house. Caleb's eyes widened and he put his hands up defensively.

"It was a mistake, honest," he defended.

"Really, just like it was a mistake, months ago," questioned Rosalie.

"This is the third time you have attacked my daughter in some shape or form. Maybe we have been too nice," said Bella.

"Well, that can easily change," added Rosalie with a mischievous grin and Carlisle stepped between his daughters and Caleb. The air was thick with tension as the two mothers stared Caleb down, but Carlisle noticed the shame in Caleb's eyes as the alpha began to fidget.

"Maybe you should try to explain your actions, since they seem to have been misguided," suggested Carlisle and Caleb swallowed thickly.

"We finally caught up to the nomads, but they were ready for us. Braden was injured during the attack and I didn't know what to do. Everything happened so fast. I was angry, we all were, and the nomads fled. Daniel, Drew, and I went after them but….."

"You left Braden behind while he was defenseless? What were you thinking," shouted Sam and Caleb stood his ground defiantly.

"We couldn't afford to let them get away! We had their scent and knew they were heading away from him. It isn't like we didn't plan to come back!"

"His life is more important. A good alpha would know that, Caleb."

"A good alpha protects his tribe with his life, Sam," yelled Caleb and Carlisle stepped between the two of them as Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so you got your butt handed to you and still chased after the nomads. How did that lead to you attacking my son," questioned Emmett.

"We were pissed off. We weren't thinking clearly and all we saw was Seth surrounded by vampires. Sorry, but they look a lot like those nomads. We just figured another one decided to join them." Edward read his thoughts and nodded in confirmation.

"Since the nomads are actually hybrids and related to Kaya and Nahuel, they do favor them. It really was a mistake," defended Edward and Caleb smiled appreciatively at him, but Rosalie was not as forgiving as her brother.

"I don't give a damn if it was a mistake or not. It caused you to attack my son. If you ever put one of your paws near him again, you will have to take me on."

"And me, you have a knack for trying to attack my daughter. Next time, I guarantee you will be taking me on. I would hate for the pack to be without an alpha because of his lack of good judgment skills," added Bella. Caleb stared down at his feet in shame and Carlisle gave him a reassuring smile.

"It was a mistake, one you will learn from. Cooler heads always prevail and that is not an easy lesson to accept in life. It is in the past now, so we should focus on moving forward. Brady will be here momentarily and I need to check on Braden. His wounds are healing, but the pain medication is wearing off. Excuse me," said Carlisle before entering the house again and Rosalie, Zach, and Emmett went inside to check on Seth. Brady sped into the driveway and the tires of his truck screeched to a halt as he parked. Jacob pulled in behind him and Sam frowned in confusion as Jacob hopped out of his truck.

"I thought you were staying with Josh," said Sam.

"I figured I might be needed here. I took him over to Quil's for the night," explained Jacob and Brady frantically ran over to them.

"I got here as soon as I could. Is he alright?"

"Carlisle is taking good care of him and he is healing," informed Sam.

"How bad is it?"

"Brady," tried Sam as he placed a hand on his shoulder, but Brady shrugged it off.

"How bad is he hurt?" Sam sighed.

"He broke several bones during the fight, including his jaw, arm, and a few ribs, but you know how quickly the healing process is for….."

"I am holding you personally responsible. I never should have let him join this damn pack!" Sam was taken aback by his friend's anger toward him and Jacob intervened.

"Brady, this isn't Sam's fault. He isn't the alpha, Caleb is, and everyone has to accept that," explained Jacob.

"No, that kid is a hothead. He has my boy running around like he knows what he is doing, but he doesn't. None of them do! They are kids with too much power and not enough supervision! You two are alphas. You should be controlling them, especially you Jake! You still phase and have a pack!"

"Brady, I don't really have a pack. Leah and I….."

"No! You do and I want Braden in it. I can't stop him from being a wolf, but I can sure as hell stop him from getting killed because of some damn kid trying to lead them into danger!" Jacob sighed.

"Brady, I understand your concern but…"

"No, you don't, Jake! That is my son in there. Both of your kids are safe, not in a pack risking their lives, so don't tell me you have any idea how I am feeling because you don't! I need to go check on my boy." Brady ran into the house and Sam clenched his jaw in frustration. He saw Caleb out the corner of his eye and knew the young alpha heard every word. Faith in the pack was faltering. Caleb trembled with rage and phased before running into the forest and Sam nudged Jacob.

"Go after him. I don't want him to do something stupid."

"No, he needs time to gather his thoughts and so do I," said Jacob. Sam looked at him curiously as Jacob headed down to the beach and Edward smiled sympathetically at Sam.

"There isn't much you can do, Sam. You knew the power you were relinquishing when you stopped phasing. All you can do is guide Caleb. You cannot force him to do anything," advised Edward and Sam begrudgingly agreed. However, the issues with Caleb would have to wait. There were three hybrids in the area that were the cause of much more concern.

When Carlisle filled Alice in on the threat, she was even more frustrated. If there was one thing that Alice hated more than anything, it was not being in control of her visions when her family needed it the most. Even with the glitch in her ability, she and Jasper were ready to help in any way that they could and eager to get to La Push. They informed Carlisle that they would be there as soon as possible. With Braden and Seth resting comfortably, Carlisle decided it would be best to have a meeting with his family about the trio that was causing so many problems. Kaya stayed inside with her mate while the others gathered by the fire in front of Sam's house to discuss the situation. Everyone gave Carlisle their undivided attention as he spoke up.

"It seems there is much to decide about how to proceed. Alice cannot see with so many wolves and hybrids around. She is not familiar with them, so we are going to have to weigh our options without her input for now."

"That is fine. With all due respect Carlisle, this doesn't concern her or any of you. Roman wants me. He wants to eliminate me because I am responsible for Joham's death. He wants a fight and I will give him one," explained Nahuel. Esme looked at him curiously.

"Could you really kill your own brother," she questioned.

"He is leaving me with no other choice. He isn't supposed to exist in the first place. Unlike the others, he can continue what Joham started. He will create more hybrids without any remorse for what they will do to their mothers. He is dangerous and the last thing we need is another Joham running around experimenting in such a way." Kaya raced out of the house to confront her brother.

"We cannot just eliminate him. He is our brother and what about Iris and Sofi? They will not just stand by while you kill him."

"I don't know what you expect for me to do Kaya. He wants me dead. I don't want to have to kill him, but what choice do I have?"

"There is always another choice. I cannot believe you are even considering this," she shouted in disbelief.

"You were there Kaya. You saw how he attacked us! I can't let that happen again."

"Maybe there is a way to reason with him," suggested Esme, but Emmett scoffed.

"I don't know much about Joham, but the guy sounds like he was a piece of work. If Roman was taught to be like him, if he believes in what Joham was doing, then he is dangerous," warned Emmett.

"Plus, we cannot just think about him. I doubt they have our diet and they are too close to Forks and the rez. What if they wander into town looking for someone to hunt? We can't risk my father, Sue, or anyone else," added Bella.

"Which is why I need to act quickly, Roman isn't going to just go away. The sooner I face him, the sooner this is all over with," agreed Nahuel, but Renesmee stepped in.

"You are not in this alone. Why can't you understand that I am a part of this," she questioned and Kaya crossed her arms.

"So am I. They are my family too and you don't get to decide this alone," argued Kaya and Nahuel huffed as he stood up.

"You think I want this? Do you think I wanted any of this," asked Nahuel.

"Of course not, but you have to stop acting like this is only about you," shouted Kaya.

"He wants me dead, not you. He believes he has to kill me in order to make Joham proud, not you. You are my baby sister. I cannot risk your life because Joham has created a mini version of himself." Renesmee frowned.

"But you can risk your life instead," she accused.

"If that means protecting my family, then yes."

"Nahuel, stop being so damn stubborn! You are my mate! We always fight side by side. We always face things together and we will deal with this, just like we have dealt with everything else!"

"This is different," he snapped and immediately regretted it. Renesmee stiffened and hurt flashed in her eyes as he exhaled slowly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that. I need to get some air," he mumbled before walking away. Renesmee tried to go after her mate, but Edward stopped her.

"Give him some space," suggested Edward, but Renesmee shook her head.

"I need to go talk to him. He is my mate. I don't understand why he is acting like this."

"He is guilt ridden about this. He is beating himself up about everything that has happened."

"I know that, daddy. Nahuel blames himself for things that aren't his fault. He carries the burden of everything on his shoulders and always has. I just wish he would let me be there for him, instead of trying to control everything," explained Renesmee and Bella glanced at her mate.

"Reminds me of someone else I know," she said as she nudged Edward and he kissed his wife's forehead.

"His heart is in the right place. He just doesn't want to see anyone get hurt because of him," added Edward. Carlisle received a text from Alice on his cell phone and read it before deciding what the next move should be.

"Alice says they will arrive tomorrow evening. We can use that time to decide what to do. This is a very complicated situation and nothing should be determined impulsively. I doubt the siblings will return tonight, especially when they realize there are more of us. Just in case, we should protect the area, starting with Charlie and Sue's house. I need to stay on the reservation to tend to Braden and Seth. Seth should be fine by morning, but Braden's injuries are far more severe." Esme slipped her hand into her mate's with an adoring smile.

"Of course I will stay with you, my love. I assume Rosalie, Emmett, and Zach will head back with Leah to check on Jacob and Joshua while Bella, Edward, Renesmee, and Nahuel will stay with Charlie and Sue. Everyone stay out of the forest. That is an order, is that clear," asked Esme as she gave Renesmee, Zach, and Kaya a look. Everyone nodded and she smiled sweetly at them before heading back into Sam's house with Carlisle.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The clouds and rain of Forks were back as the night transitioned into dawn. Renesmee watched in silence as droplets of water dripped from a leaf and onto the wet grass where a puddle was forming. She was on high alert. Nahuel still had not returned and while she knew that her mate was sitting on the beach deep in thought, it still pained her to think of him being in such despair and not allowing her to be with him. She felt helpless. Nahuel needed time to wrap his mind around what was happening, but it infuriated her that he refused to include her in the process. Her senses perked up when she felt him drawing near and she stood from her position on the porch of her grandfather's house to wait impatiently for her mate. He emerged from the trees, drenched and worn down in stature. She could sense his pain and she leapt into his arms as soon as he was close enough to catch her. Her nose buried into his neck, inhaling his scent and he sighed.

"I didn't mean to worry you. I am sorry."

"How could I not worry? I know you are upset. I just wish you would let me help." He kissed her forehead, but pulled away from her.

"This isn't something you can help me with, Renesmee. I wish it was that easy, but my problems with Joham happened long before I even knew you existed."

"I know your father was….."

"He wasn't my father. He was a scientist and we were all his experiments. We weren't created like you were. It wasn't out of love. It was out of curiosity and innocent people died because of it. He didn't care about who he hurt. He didn't care that he was creating monsters." She cupped his face so that he had no choice but to look into her eyes.

"You are not a monster and I never want to hear you say that again."

"I killed my mother. What else would you call it?"

"That wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was. Even Huilen holds me responsible for it. She watched her sister die, so that I could live. I am envious of you for that. You were able to spare your mother."

"I didn't do anything, my father did. My family did. Nahuel, it isn't your fault. It is Joham's. If he would have been a real father, if he would have loved your mother enough to stick around, he could have saved her. He was the real monster."

"Try telling that to Roman."

"I will when I see him." Nahuel groaned.

"You still have it in your head that you are going with me?"

"You still have it in your head that you are going alone?"

"Renesmee….."

"Nahuel, it doesn't just affect you and the sooner you learn that, the sooner we can move on. You saved my life when you didn't even know me. You cannot expect for me to not do the same when you are my mate." She walked inside and he sat down on the porch to sulk.

Caleb took in a deep breath as he parked his motorcycle in Sam's driveway. He noticed Brady and Carlisle's vehicles were there as well and nervously knocked on the front door. Emily answered and gave him a supportive smile.

"Hey, are you hungry," she asked and he shrugged. His growling stomach gave him away and she giggled.

"I will make you some breakfast. Come on in."

"Thanks, how is he doing," he asked as he entered the house and she led him toward the guestroom.

"Better, but he still needs his rest."

"What about Seth?"

"He is fine, scared, but fine."

"Scared," he asked and Emily bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"Some visitors are on their way for him. Braden is right through here." Caleb inhaled deeply to calm his nerves as he saw Brady, Sam, Braden's mother, Laura, Carlisle, and Esme in the room. Braden was awake and sipping on some water while Carlisle checked his vitals. Caleb watched how attentive Carlisle was with him.

"Your bones are healing nicely. You should start to gain mobility soon. Give him a few more hours of sleep and then he should be ready to be moved home. I am sure you want to get in your own bed." Braden smiled weakly.

"That would be nice and a shower," he whispered hoarsely.

"I still want you to take it easy for the next week, which means no phasing. Your bones are still regenerating and are fragile. This prescription will help with the pain," explained Carlisle as he handed a slip to Brady.

"Thank you, for everything," said Laura as she placed her hand on Carlisle's. He was surprised by the gesture, but deduced that she knew more about him than he expected. Most Quileutes feared him and his family, even the ones that did not know exactly what to fear. It was a natural instinct in humans and Quileutes were even more skeptical of outsiders of any kind. He smiled kindly at her.

"You are very welcome. I expect him to make a speedy recover, but Sam has my number if there are any complications." Carlisle gathered his equipment and Esme bid everyone farewell as they exited the room. Braden closed his eyes to get some rest and Caleb smiled sheepishly.

"I'll come back later," he whispered to Emily before walking after Carlisle. He wanted to speak with him, but frowned in confusion when he saw him speaking with Sue, Rosalie, and Leah in the living room. He noticed Seth on the couch with his face in his hands and Kaya giggling at him.

"He will be fine. His rib was broken, but has healed. I hope you three will go easy on him," said Carlisle and Sue smiled slyly.

"I suppose," she agreed and Seth whimpered when she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Don't leave me here with them," whispered Seth to Carlisle and Esme, but Esme shrugged.

"Oh you are not off the hook with me either, Seth Clearwater. No cookies for a month," stated Esme and his jaw dropped in shock as she exited the house with her mate. He wanted to protest, but knew he was already in enough trouble. Caleb jogged after Carlisle and Esme and they turned to greet him.

"Is everything alright," asked Carlisle and Caleb stuffed his hands in his pockets nervously as he glanced at Esme.

"I was hoping to speak with you in private," he explained and Esme smiled kindly at him as she grabbed Carlisle's bag.

"I will be in the car, my love," she informed before getting into their Mercedes and Carlisle looked at Caleb curiously.

"What is on your mind?"

"I just wanted to thank you for helping Braden and um….well I know things didn't go according to my plan with the nomads, but this time we will be ready for them. I figure if Jake and Leah help, we can handle it and your family can leave. I don't want you to feel like you have to clean up our mess."

"Technically, it is our mess and it seems you have not learned your lesson from last night."

"Look, I can handle it. I know everyone around here thinks I am not capable of leading my pack, but I can protect this land just fine. I don't need a babysitter." Carlisle chuckled.

"Caleb, it is not about your age. Sure, you are young and inexperienced, but three vampires, even hybrids, would be extremely difficult for your pack to handle, even if you had all the experience in the world. You are outnumbered. You were outnumbered when Braden was healthy. I understand wanting to prove your worth to everyone involved, but you must be responsible. Your legends make it very clear. It takes three of your kind, to kill one vampire. My family was in danger last night too. It was irresponsible of them to go into the forest without all of us being there to help. You witnessed how that turned out and the backlash they received."

"Yea, the moms are scary."

"Very and it will do you good to remember that in the future. I know you mistook them for your enemies, but you cannot take that chance again. Their mothers are fierce, but they are not the only ones you will have to worry about if you attack a member of my family again. Not only does it break the treaty, but it tests my patience as a father, grandfather, and mate when my family is under attack."

"I understand."

"Good, now I plan on speaking with my family about the hybrids. They are after one of us, so it makes sense for us to handle it. Plus, we have many more resources at our disposal. If you would like to be there, I cannot stop you, but may I suggest you sit this one out? I am sure the others in your pack would appreciate it and so would their parents. I know your mother would appreciate it too." Caleb smiled sheepishly.

"Yea, she hates all of this and doesn't really understand it."

"As a parent, I understand where she is coming from. I understand how all of the parents feel."

"Braden's parents hate me and I am sure Drew and Daniel's do too. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. Everything just happened so fast. They surrounded us from above in the trees and I didn't know what to do."

"Vampires are not easy to battle. Even when my family trained Sam, Jacob, and the pack before you, there were still injuries."

"Really?"

"Braden is not the first wolf I have treated. Jacob was much worse off."

"That's good to know. I guess it would be best if my pack sits this one out. Here, I'll give you my phone number. That way you can call me with updates. I don't like having to use Sam as a middle man."

"Fair enough." They exchanged numbers and Caleb sighed in relief, feeling better about the situation.

"Thanks Carlisle."

"I will be in touch." Carlisle turned to leave, but Caleb stepped toward him again.

"Um, one more thing."

"Sure, what is it?" Caleb shuffled his feet nervously as he managed to speak his insecurities.

"How do you do it? You have a big family and they all look like they can handle things on their own, but they still come to you first, why?"

"Just like you are the leader of your pack, I am the leader of my family. In the vampire world, we call it a coven, but I prefer family. They trust me to put them first and to lead them in the right direction. Being a good leader means knowing when to act and when to bow out gracefully. Violence should never be the first resort, only the last, and as the leader, it is not up to you to act superior and make demands. Your pack will follow you best when they respect you, not feel like they are forced to listen to you. Does that make sense?"

"Yea, thanks. I am going to go inside and get some breakfast." Carlisle nodded and Caleb ran inside. Sam exited the house and smiled graciously at Carlisle.

"You always come to the rescue when we need it. Thank you for being there for Braden. I know Brady and Laura appreciate it."

"No worries. So I take it that Laura knows everything? She did not seem afraid of me."

"Yea that was actually Emily's idea. She didn't like that their mothers would be kept in the dark when their children changed. It definitely made things less complicated. Caleb's mother still worries when he is out all night, but at least she knows why."

"They deserve to know what is happening to their children. It will never stop any of them from worrying, but at least there is no lies that need to be told to protect the secret," agreed Carlisle. Sam glanced back at the house and chuckled when he heard Leah raise her voice.

"Maybe you should go rescue another wolf. They are really laying into him in there," suggested Sam and Carlisle chuckled.

"Wish me luck," mumbled Carlisle. He swiftly entered the house to see Rosalie, Sue, and Leah scolding Seth.

"It is like you have no sense of self preservation and Kaya, you are just as much to blame," yelled Leah and Kaya huffed.

"I had no choice. Nahuel refused not to go and I had to go with my brother."

"And I had to go with my mate," added Seth. Rosalie pointed at both of them.

"Nahuel is already on my list, but I specifically told you both to stay put. How can I trust you if you deliberately go against what I say, knowing that it could get you killed," asked Rosalie and Seth pushed out his bottom lip.

"Sorry Rose, I really am," he pouted and her frown softened. Sue scoffed and shook her head.

"Don't pull that pout Seth Clearwater! It might work on her, but it will not work on me. Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me young man," warned Sue and Seth nodded.

"Yes ma'am."

"And you are supposed to be a good influence on him. Seth gets into enough trouble. He doesn't need you encouraging it. I know Nahuel is your brother, but next time you should all sit on him and call for backup. That was just stupid," added Sue and Kaya nodded.

"Yes ma'am, I am sorry that we scared all of you." Carlisle cleared his throat and everyone looked at him.

"I hate to interrupt…."

"Please interrupt," mumbled Seth and Carlisle chuckled.

"After talking with Caleb, it has been decided that our family will handle the siblings. It is a personal matter that the pack does not know much about, so it would be best for us to decide how to act. I plan on putting it to a vote, so if you will follow me back to Charlie and Sue's, we can decide how to proceed," suggested Carlisle and Seth hopped up. He winced when his rib still ached a bit, but it was nothing he could not tolerate.

"Sounds like a plan, let's go Kaya," said Seth as he pulled his mate out of dodge.

Leah headed home to her husband and son while the others went to Charlie and Sue's like Carlisle requested and gathered in the living room. Sue went upstairs to get back in bed with Charlie. When Leah called her about Seth, she hurried to La Push, but all the worrying and scolding made her exhausted. Carlisle stood beside his mate and looked at his family as he explained what would happen.

"Caleb's pack has agreed to sit this one out. It obviously concerns us much more and since we could not seem to come to a decision last night, I say we put it to a vote. Nahuel, I understand that you would like to handle the situation alone, but it is too dangerous. You have a mate and family to think about. It concerns us all, not just you, even if you feel responsible. We will all go into the forest tonight to confront the siblings." Nahuel crossed his arms as Renesmee sighed in relief.

"Then what is the point of voting if it has already been decided what we will do," asked Nahuel.

"I know that some of you believe eliminating Roman would be best, but I agree with Kaya. He deserves a chance to leave on his own accord and so do Iris and Sofi."

"They attacked Seth, I cannot just let that go and as his mate, I would think you would feel the same," challenged Rosalie and Kaya slowly nodded.

"I wanted to kill them for what they did, but they are still my sisters and brother. They have been warned about what would happen if they did it again. They have one more chance. I want to believe they will not test me," explained Kaya.

"Then let us vote. Who believes they should be allowed to go free as long as they agree to leave," asked Carlisle. Kaya, Esme, Carlisle, Edward, Bella, Renesmee, and Zach raised their hands. Nahuel shook his head in disbelief.

"Do you really think Roman is just going to stop? He is Joham through and through. All he is going to do is create and murder as much as he can. We cannot let that happen," urged Nahuel. Edward understood his reasoning and why Emmett, Rosalie, and Seth did not raise their hands. Emmett agreed with Nahuel. He didn't trust Roman to let it go or change his ways. Seth refused on the basis of the values instilled in him. The hybrids did not live by the Cullens' diet, trespassed on Quileute land, and injured him and Braden. Rosalie's logic was more to the point. They attacked and injured her son. She could not forgive that.

"I will read his mind when we encounter them. If I do not like what I hear, then I will alert everyone so that we can reconsider," informed Edward. However, Nahuel was not appeased and he stormed out as Renesmee stood up. Edward winked at his daughter.

"Let me try," he offered and Renesmee hesitantly nodded in agreement. Nahuel raced into the woods, but Edward caught up with ease. He watched Nahuel kick a boulder in anger and it crumbled under the force.

"I understand being upset, but….."

"This shouldn't be happening. What if something goes wrong? What if someone gets hurt because of me? It wouldn't be the first time."

"Your mother knew she was dying. She loved you and was willing to die for you. She wanted you to live. That is all she cared about."

"How do you even know that? You weren't there."

"Pire told Huilen her wishes. If she didn't make it, Huilen was to raise you as her own. She pleaded with her to do anything to save you. She already loved you, just like Bella already loved Renesmee. Nahuel, I know that you are haunted by your past. I know what it is like to hate what you are and to want to protect the one you love from it, but you cannot keep pushing Renesmee away. There was a time in my darkest of days when I pushed her mother away. It was the biggest mistake of my existence and it nearly killed us both. You are wrong, by the way. You are worthy of her love and your life with her."

"Look what I have brought here. I am nothing but an experiment gone wrong."

"That isn't true and you know it. You saved my daughter's life when you didn't even know her. You are selfless and kind. I couldn't have asked for her to find a better mate. Besides, you have seen how much trouble this family can get into. You are hardly the issue," he teased and Nahuel chuckled as he shook his head.

"Being a Cullen has certainly made my life more adventurous." Edward clapped him on the back.

"I know it has. Now, stop moping and come back to the house. Everything will be fine."

"You know I never had a real father, but I am glad that I found one in you," confessed Nahuel.

"I am happy you are in our lives as well, son. Now no more pouting," he teased and Nahuel nodded as they walked back to the house.

Evening brought more clouds, but no rain. The Cullens headed deep into the forest to wait for the arrival of Alice and Jasper. It seemed odd for them to make any decisions as a group when two of their family members were missing and they were all relieved when they heard the pitter patter of feet and the familiar scents of the couple. Jasper shook his head in amusement as he approached his family and Alice skipped over to them.

"If you missed us that much, all you had to do was say so. No need to cause so much trouble," teased Jasper as Esme hugged him. Alice embraced each member of her family before winking at Nahuel.

"Don't worry Nahuel, everything will be fine," she assured and he frowned in confusion.

"How do you know that if you cannot see the future with my siblings around," he asked and Edward smirked.

"She has a plan," he informed as he read Alice's mind.

"A plan," questioned Nahuel and she scoffed.

"Just because I can't see them doesn't mean I can't meddle." Emmett picked her up into his arms and twirled her with a laugh.

"Aw, I missed you sis. You are so cute when you meddle," he cooed and Alice high fived him. Rosalie, Edward, and Bella rolled their eyes at them and Carlisle smiled.

"So, what is the plan Alice," he asked and she grinned mischievously.

"You'll see," she sang.

"Not even a hint," tried Esme, but Alice shook her head.

"What's the fun in that? I already missed a lot. I might as well have my fun."

"Good to know that my past coming back to haunt me is what you call fun," grumbled Nahuel.

"Don't be so dramatic. Oh, I hear them," she whispered. They could all sense the three siblings moving closer and soon they appeared at the top of a tree, looking down at them. Roman eyed them suspiciously before jumping down to the forest floor. He hissed at Nahuel, who growled back at his brother. Iris and Sofi cautiously leapt down and stood beside Roman. Each was baffled when Alice pranced over to them to offer her hand.

"Hi, I'm Alice. We haven't been properly introduced. You must be Nahuel and Kaya's siblings. It's a pleasure."

"Alice," warned Nahuel, but she waved him off.

"What, there is no need not to be civil. Besides, we are here to help," she explained. Iris and Sofi glanced at each other, completely confused by Alice's demeanor, and Roman smirked.

"Well if you are here to help then how about you step aside and allow me to put an end to this? Nahuel and I have some unfinished business, unless he is going to be a coward of course." Nahuel crouched down, but Renesmee pulled her mate back up.

"Calm down," she warned and Roman laughed.

"The missus must have you on a short leash. Speaking of which, I see your pet recovered, Kaya," taunted Roman and Kaya's jaw clenched in anger. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Why are you so angry, Roman? Seth did nothing to you," said Alice.

"Why am I so angry? You should know. You are the psychic. I know all about you. All of you Cullens, your names and powers precede you."

"You know about little ole' me? Well, I am flattered. I am sure that means you know just how in over your head you really are. Are you really willing to die just for Joham?"

"You know nothing about my father."

"Hmm, I wonder if you do. Edward, what do you think," she asked and Edward scanned Roman's mind as he walked over to his sister. Roman watched him cautiously as Edward's eyes focused on him.

"You have been misinformed. Joham wasn't who he seemed to be. He wasn't a father to any of you, especially not Nahuel. You were his experiments. That is why he allowed you to kill your mothers. He knew they would die in labor, just like Nahuel's did," explained Edward.

"He was our father. All he wanted was for us to carry on his legacy. He tried to leave it with Nahuel, but he turned his back on him and then got him killed! Nahuel is a traitor to his kind, but I plan on remedying the issue." Nahuel stepped forward.

"I don't know what Joham told you, but he never wanted me to be anything but a killer. He treated humans like animals. They were merely there to be fed or experimented on."

"Just because you Cullens value human life doesn't mean we should," argued Iris and Kaya stepped forward.

"Our mothers were human. They gave us life. They sacrificed their lives for us. How can you hate them, when they are a part of you," questioned Kaya and Sofi looked down in shame.

"There is no other way. They had to die so that we could be born," said Sofi. Edward smiled as he read her thoughts.

"That isn't true. My wife, Bella, was human. She is Renesmee's mother and she survived, see," he asked as he held his hand out to his mate. Bella slipped her hand in his as she joined his side and Renesmee proudly wrapped an arm around each of her parents.

"My dad saved her. I couldn't imagine my life without her," confessed Renesmee and Sofi and Iris looked at them in awe, but Roman shook his head profusely.

"Joham wouldn't just let them die, unless there was no other way," he defended. Nahuel walked over to his brother.

"My wife and her parents are living proof that it is possible. I was just as shocked as you are when I first found out. Just like I was shocked to find out we can drink animal blood to live. Joham knew our mothers would die. You know why Renesmee's mother lived? Her father was there for them. He loved them both enough to stick around. Joham didn't care about my mother. He left her to die, just like he left yours."

"I don't believe that," yelled Roman, but his voice was not as strong as before.

"You left out a very important part of the story Roman. Romulus and Remus were abandoned as babies too. He never loved you. He never cared about any of us. That is why I hated him. He was a scientist and we were his experiments. It was never about us or our mothers. It was about him. I don't want to fight you. I don't want you have to die because of him. Enough death has occurred because of Joham." Roman was silent and the pitter patter of feet filled their ears. Alice smiled smugly and Edward chuckled as he read her thoughts.

"Let's see if it works before you decide to congratulate yourself," teased Edward. Suddenly, Marcus, Didyme, Alexander, and Lena arrived and Carlisle and Esme smiled.

"Marcus, Didyme, what are you doing here," asked Carlisle and Marcus winked at Alice.

"Your daughter can be very persuasive and asked us to make an appearance," explained Marcus and Roman growled at Nahuel.

"I knew you would call in someone else to do your dirty work. You are not just a traitor. You are a coward," he screamed and crouched down to lunge at Nahuel. Renesmee stepped in front of her mate and suddenly euphoria flowed through everyone, causing them to relax. Jasper and Didyme smiled at each other and she giggled.

"You come in handy. I wish I could control it like that," she said as Jasper used her aura of happiness and spread it among them all. Roman stood up as Didyme and Marcus approached him. Didyme's smile put him at ease and he looked at her in awe, as did Iris and Sofi.

"I know you have suffered because of your father's deeds. You were forced to hide and live in fear. No one deserves that, especially simply because they were born," she explained.

"How do you know that," he asked and Marcus stepped forward.

"Because I was there when your father was killed, I am not proud of my past. I allowed my brothers to spread dread and hatred all over the world. I was there when they searched for others of your kind for years. I am sorry you had to suffer, but I am here to make amends."

"How," asked Roman and Didyme smiled even more.

"Join us. Let us show you a better way. You do not have to kill humans. You do not have to hide. Come to Italy with us. Experience this existence as it should be experienced, with a happiness that makes you want to strive for more. There is so much more out there that you have not seen. It is a pity really. Your kind can live amongst humans much easier than full vampires. You can experience the way they live with ease. You can even appreciate the taste of their food," giggled Didyme and Sofi nodded happily.

"I want to go," she said as she looked at Iris.

"But what if we cannot stick to your diet? I hear that animal blood is not as appetizing," said Iris. Alexander and Lena glided over to them.

"It is not always easy. We have spent the majority of our existence living off of human blood. The transition to animal blood can be difficult at times. It was for all of us," explained Alexander.

"But we can help you overcome that and you will not have the same issues. You can eat human food and use that to sate your hunger when it seems unbearable," added Lena. Didyme held out her hand to the three of them.

"So what do you say," she asked. Sofi looked hopefully at Roman and Iris. The two of them shared a look and Roman slowly nodded. Alice clapped happily and Kaya sighed in relief as Roman shook Didyme's hand. Edward winced when he read Roman's thoughts and Roman eyed Nahuel.

"I am willing to try their diet, but that doesn't mean I am ready to forgive you yet. You didn't just turn your back on Joham. You turned your back on us too," said Roman.

"I didn't even know you existed," defended Nahuel.

"What about our other sisters? Did you not know about them when you decided to have our father killed?" Nahuel looked down and Roman did as well. "I thought so."

"I couldn't be what they wanted me to be. They believed in everything Joham said. I care about what happened to my mother. They never did."

"I have spent time with them too Roman. I chose to stay with Nahuel because of his heart, his compassion. It is something he got from his mother, not Joham," defended Kaya.

"I can't change how I feel just like that. I have hated you for years. Maybe one day I will feel differently," admitted Roman. Marcus, Didyme, Alexander, and Lena said their farewells and motioned for Roman, Iris, and Sofi to follow them back to Seattle, where they would catch a flight home.

"Hey Roman," called Nahuel as the group turned to leave. Roman looked at him curiously over his shoulder. "Don't be like Joham and don't be like me. I spent more than a hundred and fifty years hating my existence and how I came to be. I let the hate eat at me for far too long. I don't want that for you. I understand being angry, but don't let it consume you, little brother."

"Fair enough," agreed Roman. He glanced back at Nahuel and Kaya one last time before running east toward the city with the others. Nahuel sighed in relief and Kaya hugged him.

"You are a great big brother, you know that," she asked and he kissed her forehead.

"Thanks," he chuckled and Renesmee beamed with happiness along with the rest of the family, still feeling the effects of Didyme's power. Not only was the threat gone, but it ended peacefully.

Jacob gazed up at the stars as he sat on the front porch of his home waiting for an update about Nahuel's siblings. However, his mind was elsewhere. It was reeling with conflicted ideas and options that he wanted to weigh. Sam's truck pulled into the driveway and Jacob looked at him curiously as he joined him on the porch steps.

"Any news," asked Sam.

"Nope, still waiting, I am sure it is fine though. You know the Cullens can handle it."

"Yea, I definitely know that. Leah and Josh inside?"

"Yea, she is letting him teach her how to play his new football video game." Sam chuckled and looked up at the stars.

"It's a nice night. Not too many clouds out, no pack to worry about."

"I was thinking about that actually, about what Brady said about my pack."

"What about it?"

"Maybe he is right. I mean are we crazy to let Caleb run the pack?"

"I don't know. He is a good kid, Jake. He just has a lot of issues that he needs to deal with. You remember what it was like. Every emotion is just so much stronger. I was a mess."

"But you also respected your elders and listened to advice. Braden could have died last night. They all could have been killed. We watched Braden, Drew, and Daniel grow up. They are good kids. What if something worse would have happened?"

"We can't think like that."

"What are the rules about taking over the pack?" Sam looked at him shocked.

"What?"

"I'm an alpha. I technically have a pack. I just don't think Caleb is ready for the responsibility. Maybe Brady has a point. It should be my pack."

"Jake that is a lot of responsibility. You never wanted it before."

"I still don't but what choice do I have? My son is going to be a wolf. You know it, my dad knew it, hell, Leah and I are bracing for it. Is Caleb really going to be leading my son around? I can't have that. I can't get that call, Sam. Brady is right. We don't know what that feels like and I never want to."

"Okay, then let's talk semantics. According to pack law, the pack could be yours if you claim it. Once I decided to stop phasing and my pack disbanded, yours technically took over. You and Leah technically could claim the pack as alpha and beta. Of course since Drew, Daniel, and Braden already agreed to join Caleb's pack, they would have to decide to join yours, but I doubt that would be an issue. Brady and Jared would love that, but you really need to consider everything before you do that."

"Okay, elder, what do you think I should do?" Sam chuckled and shook his head in exasperation.

"I don't know. Caleb would be pissed. He wouldn't join your pack, which would make him a lone wolf and that could cause all types of problems. Then too, the pack could do worse than having you as an alpha. You and Leah could guide them better than Caleb can. He is still learning how to be a wolf. Speaking of Leah….."

"I haven't mentioned it to her yet. It is just an idea floating around in my head. Here comes Carlisle." They stood up as Carlisle emerged from the trees with a bright smile on his face.

"You're smiling, that is always a good sign," said Sam as Carlisle shook their hands.

"Alice arrived with help. Didyme and Marcus offered to guide the siblings in the right direction. They are heading back to Italy as we speak and everything has been resolved."

"Not everything," mumbled Sam and Jacob smirked.

"Yea, you think Didyme and Marcus could work their magic on Caleb? You know, knock some sense into him," asked Jacob.

"I caught the last bit of what you were talking about as I was arriving. You want to take over the pack," asked Carlisle and Jacob groaned.

"I don't know. Not really, but it would be better than worrying constantly about them breaking the treaty or getting themselves killed."

"Jacob, you do not have to worry about the treaty being broken. It can only be broken if it is allowed to be. I am aware of the situation and I would never let that happen. Besides, things are different now than they were with past generations of packs. My family has too many connections to the tribe for our allegiance to be questioned."

"Caleb is still hardheaded. I am an elder and I still do not believe he would listen to me. Braden was almost killed because of his pride," said Sam and Carlisle chuckled.

"It might seem hard to believe right now, but Caleb is not much different from past alphas. I seem to remember two, very angry young men who were willing to fight my family on occasion." Sam and Jacob glanced at each other and blushed.

"Ouch, that hurts," said Sam and Carlisle winked at them.

"They also turned into honorable leaders and good men. They made their mistakes along the way, but they learned from them and became better because of it. I am not saying that Caleb will be perfect from this point forth or suddenly become an amazing alpha. I am simply imploring you to show great patience, just like the elders before you did, Sam. Caleb reminds me a lot of the two of you in your youth, impulsive, prideful, but full of great potential that you both have lived up to. You just needed some guidance and people that were willing to give you chances." Sam shook his hand as he nodded his understanding.

"You are a very wise man, Carlisle," said Sam.

"Hundreds of years in this existence will do that to a person. Our family is heading home. Call if you need anything." They nodded and smiled as he disappeared into the trees again and Jacob sighed in relief.

"Good, I don't have to be the alpha to be a bunch of teenage boys. Now that was some good advice. You should take some notes, elder." Sam nudged him as Jacob laughed. Carlisle was right. There would be growing pains, but Caleb's pack would remain in tact. Carlisle sped past the treaty line, but came to a halt when he sensed a wolf was in the vicinity. He turned to see Caleb trotting toward him.

"I had a feeling you were close by. You heard what they were talking about?" Caleb nodded. He nudged Carlisle's hand with his nose and Carlisle ruffled the fur on top of his head with a smile.

"You're welcome." Caleb galloped away and Carlisle called after him.

"Be good!" Caleb howled into the night in response, causing Carlisle to chuckle.

"Kids," teased Esme as she raced over to her mate and Carlisle wrapped his arms around her waist with a smile.

"Speaking of kids, where are ours," he asked.

"Heading back to the island, I told them the two of us needed to hunt, alone," she informed with a coy smile and he grinned from ear to ear.

"A hunt would be greatly appreciated," he agreed and laughed as he chased his mate deep into the forest. The danger was over, their family was safe, and no one was killed in the process. There was much to celebrate.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Only a day had passed since the family returned to the island and Zach was already begging his mother to relieve him of his punishment. Emmett laughed as his son followed his mother into yet another room of the house.

"Come on mom, this isn't fair," he whined and Rosalie planted her hands on her hips.

"Fair? You know what isn't fair? Worrying your mother," she exclaimed.

"What kind of lesson is this teaching me? I save the day, come to the aid of my family in their time of need and what do I get? Punished. I guess the moral of the story is that good guys finish last."

"You are being so dramatic right now," she said as she rolled her eyes. He pushed out his bottom lip and showed off his dimples as he smiled sweetly.

"Please mommy," he asked and she crossed her arms.

"Who taught you to pout like that, your brother or father?" Zach smiled sheepishly.

"Actually it is a mixture of both," he admitted and Rosalie rolled her eyes at Emmett.

"Since you taught him, you decide," she conceded and Zach looked hopefully at his father.

"Fine, but don't do it again. The next time we tell you to do something, you do it, understand," asked Emmett and Zach hugged him.

"Thanks!"

"What do I get," asked Rosalie and she laughed as Zach showered her with kisses and twirled her around in a big embrace.

"Seth, I am off punishment. Let's go," called Zach and Seth's heavy footsteps running down the stairs with Kaya on his trail filled the house.

"Whoa, where are you three going," asked Rosalie.

"Alaska," said Zach excitedly and she scoffed.

"I don't think so!"

"Aw come on Rose, we will be careful. Besides, we are going to hang out with Garrett," said Seth.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Emmett chuckled and kissed his wife tenderly.

"I will go with them," he assured.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better," she repeated.

"Hey," exclaimed Emmett and she giggled.

"Fine, but do not get into trouble," she warned and Kaya smiled at her.

"Why don't you go with us? I am going to shop with Kate," suggested Kaya.

"Actually that sounds like a great idea. Plus, I will be able to keep an eye on my boys," she teased and Emmett pulled her into his arms with a cheeky grin.

"You can keep an eye on me anytime babe." Zach and Seth rolled their eyes as the two of them shared a passionate kiss.

"Ew, I don't want to see that! Not in front of the kids," exclaimed Zach as he ran out of the house and Rosalie giggled.

"That is definitely your son," teased Rosalie and Emmett smiled proudly. Kaya pulled out her phone as they left the house, but then reconsidered.

"I doubt Nahuel and Renesmee want to come with us," said Kaya and Seth smirked.

"Yea, I am sure they are making up for all the arguing they did," he teased and Rosalie cringed.

"Ew, I don't want to hear that," she exclaimed as she ran to catch up with her son and Seth, Kaya, and Emmett laughed.

Nahuel sighed happily as he held his wife in his arms in bed. They were relieved to be back in their cottage where they could spend time alone without any interruptions. Renesmee giggled as he kissed her fingertips with a serene smile.

"I'm sorry about how I acted in Washington."

"Like an insensitive jerk?"

"Ouch, that's harsh. I was trying to protect you."

"When will you realize that we protect each other? I can take care of myself and I don't need you to risk your life or make decisions that affect both of us without speaking to me first. We are mates, remember?" He sighed, but nodded as he kissed her tenderly.

"Point taken, I was just scared."

"I know you were."

"Renesmee, before you….before I met you, this existence meant nothing to me. I hated what I was and now, well now I could never imagine feeling like that again. You make me so happy. I love you so much."

"I love you too, but if you ever try to risk your life like that again….." He cut her off with a passionate kiss and she melted into his touch. Threatening her mate could wait. They were safe inside their cottage where nothing mattered but them. Their time in Forks was anything, but relaxing, but both planned on taking full advantage of their time at home.

AN: Well, that's all she wrote….for now! Who I am kidding? I am not done with this series and still have ideas roaming around in my head just waiting to be written when I can find the time. I hope you enjoyed Nahuel's Choice. If so, please let me know your thoughts in a review or even a PM. Feedback is always much appreciated and welcomed.


End file.
